Manila Standard - 2019 November 15 - Friday

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PH kicks out 312 Chinese for engaging in cyber fraud

By Vito Barcelo

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 274 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Four-day work week tossed to solons, MMDA

MY LIPS ARE SEALED.

Vice President Leni Robredo attends a news conference at her office on Thursday, following a meeting with members of law enforcement and military officials, a week after she accepted President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer to play a lead role in the government’s anti-drug war. Robredo has since called for a revamp in the crackdown of what some call senseless killings. AFP

AT LEAST 312 Chinese nationals were deported back to China on board five chartered planes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday night—they were caught involved in cyber fraud in Pasay City, the Bureau of Immigration said.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the 312 were among 512 arrested by the BI last month in a raid of a Business Processing Outsourcing office in Pasay.

Last Oct. 9, the BI conducted a raid in an office in the Millennium Building, Pasay City and arrested 512 aliens found reportedly conducting scamming operations.

Those arrested were Chinese, Burmese, Malaysians, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Indonesians. Next page

By MJ Blancaflor and Maricel V. Cruz IT IS up to the lawmakers and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to review the proposal for a four-day workweek as a way to mitigate traffic jams, the Palace said Thursday.

This came after House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. on Wednesday revived the appeal for the implementation of a shortened workweek.

“We will wait for their recommendation,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

House Bills 1670 and 1904 propose an optional scheme to shorten work days as long as employees meet the prescribed hours within the week.

Filed by Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte and Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, Next page

‘Most drugs in PH from China’ Leni cites data from DILG, PNP; PDEA chimes in

By Rio N. Araja

M

OST illegal drugs flowing into the Philippines are from China, Vice President Leni Robredo said Thursday.

EASY NOW. This is just an earthquake drill Thursday in Manila, with employees, men and women, of a shopping mall covering their heads along a road, away from the vehicular traffic path—part of a nationwide preparedness exercise following quakes that struck Mindanao last month, with firefighters (inset) at the platform of an aerial ladder preparing to enter a window of a building to make a rescue. AFP, Norman Cruz

Medicine makers Class holiday: Two schools make way for Games E. Zurbano wary of price cuts ByandJoelMaricel V. Cruz A GROUP OF drug makers said Thursday continuing their business in the Philippines “may not be viable” should the government cut the prices of some 120 medicines.

“There are some medicines that are going to be affecting the bread and butter of a good number of our members, and that will definitely affect their operations here,” said Teodoro Padilla, executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.

“Looking at it from the point of view of business, it may not be viable to continue at that scale.”

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Duterte abolishes Pasig River agency

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was true to his word he would abolish the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission as Malacañang on Thursday released an executive order scrapping the government body and transferring its functions to other agencies.

Signed on Nov. 8, Executive Order 93 says the disestablishment of the PRRC Next page

TWO of the seven schools have agreed with the proposal of Metro Manila Development Authority to suspend classes in time for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

MMDA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Pircelyn Pialago said the De La Salle University and the De La Salle Col-

lege of St. Benilde along Taft Avenue will not be holding classes from Dec. 2 to 7.

“We already sent copies of our recommendations for schools for the class holidays,” Pialago said.

Other schools included in the class holiday recommendation were College of St. Scholastica, Arellano Law School, Wesleyan College, Saint Paul College and Saint Pedro Poveda College.

Suspension of classes in these schools would ease traffic during the SEA Games to be hosted by the Philippines from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

De La Salle University officials earlier announced that there would be no classes at its campus on Taft Avenue from Dec. 2 to 7 to give way to the SEA Games. They said they would also limit access to the campus.

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Robredo, co-chairman of the Interagency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs, said she obtained this information in a meeting with officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police.

“I wanted to gather more data but the report I got was that most of the supply comes from China. Many of those arrested operators were Chinese nationals or Filipino-Chinese,” she said. “That is something we have to look into.”

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency also concluded last year that China remains the top source of illegal drugs―mostly shabu―smuggled into the country.

Meanwhile, the Palace clarified that Robredo, who now holds a Cabinet rank, should attend Cabinet meetings only if the anti-drug campaign is on the agenda.

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WEATHER Regrets I’ve had a few, says ‘My Way’ songwriter 4,412 stranded Jacques Revaux

PARIS―He wrote the music for “My Way”, one of the world’s most popular songs, but Jacques Revaux would like to mention a few of his regrets.

For one, “I don’t even have a photo with Frank Sinatra,” the French songwriter laughed.

The legendary American crooner may have made the song a global hit, but not many people know it was actually a French song first.

Fewer still―not even in France, where the credit often goes to the singer Claude Francois―are aware that Revaux wrote the original.

Yet half a century after he wrote the first draft of the classic, and despite being elbowed into the shadows not just once but twice, the 79-year-old Revaux is still happy he did it his way.

The prolific songwriter scribbled down a number about a couple Next page

by TS ‘Ramon’

SOME 4,412 passengers were stranded in various ports because of tropical storm “Ramon,” the Philippine Coast Guard said Thursday.

In its noon update, the PCG said the passengers were in ports in Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, and Northern Samar.

It also said the operations of 1,099 rolling cargoes, 15 vessels, and 14 motor bancas were also temporarily suspended due to the weather. Some 18 vessels and five motor bancas are also taking shelter at the moment.

All PCG units are strictly enforcing the guidelines on the movement of vessels during heavy weather to ensure the Next page

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Extra powers infra booster—Palace

By MJ Blancaflor

M

ALACAÑANG on Thursday welcomed a lawmaker’s proposal to grant President Rodrigo Duterte emergency powers to speed up the construction of infrastructure projects under the administration's “Build, Build, Build” program.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the emergency powers proposed by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda would remove the roadblocks in the completion of the government’s infrastructure projects.

"The proposal of Congressman Salceda is good, and because one of the reasons why the projects are being slowed down is because of [issues on] right of

way," Panelo said.

But Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Thursday assailed the proposed granting of special powers to President Duterte for the Build, Build, Build program.

"You do not need emergency powers to do that," Drilon told reporters.

"You do not need emergency powers to make sure that you spend your

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'Most drugs...

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BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. called the operation a success after the implementation of the mass deportation.

“They were finally deported, and we are very much thankful to the PNP-National Capital Region Police Office for assisting us in this operation,” Manahan said.

Pending their deportation, the arrested were temporarily taken into custody by the NCRPO and held in a facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.

Also leaving with the 312 were 21 minors whose custody were turned over to the Chinese Embassy upon determination of their age.

Manahan added the passports of the deportees had been canceled by the Chinese government, making them undocumented aliens.

Manahan said that the 312 deported and 21 minors left via five chartered China Eastern flights to Shijiaxuang, Hebei Province and Changchun, Jilin Province. They were escorted by BI Intelligence personnel as well as Chinese police officers.

The rest of the arrested would be transferred to the BI Warden Facility pending the issuance of their deportation orders and clearances.

Morente commended the BI Intelligence Division for the successful implementation of the operations.

“Let this serve as a warning to aliens planning to use the country as a base for their illegal operations. Expect more arrests in the coming days,” he warned.

This would save her the trouble of attending long meetings that did not concern her area, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Robredo, who belong to opposing political parties, have not met since her appointment as anti-drug czar.

Robredo had been critical of Duterte’s flagship campaign that has killed more than 5,000 drug suspects, according to government data, saying the war could be conducted with less killing.

On Friday, she suggested the creation of a new anti-drug campaign to replace the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang during her meeting with ICAD. Oplan Tokhang, or the house-to-house “knock and plead” police initiative to get drug suspects to surrender, has gained notoriety for human rights violations.

Robredo used to be part of the Cabinet as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) until her resignation in December 2016.

At the time, she cited “major differences” with Duterte, and revealed that she was directed to “desist from attending all Cabinet meetings.”

Meanwhile, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano urged Robredo to simply ask Congress for additional funds for the campaign against illegal drugs instead of an-

4,412...

From A1 safety of lives and properties at all costs.

In an earlier interview, Office of the Civil Defense regional director Claudio Yucot said classes in all levels in both private and public schools also remain suspended in Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes.

Ramon is moving west-northwest at 10 kilometers per hour (kph) and was located at 355 km east of Legazpi City, Albay, some 300 km east of Virac, Catanduanes at 3 a.m. Thursday.

It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kph with gustiness of up to 80 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is raised over Catanduanes while TCWS No. 1 is hoisted over the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon. PNA

Regrets...

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falling out of love titled “For Me” in his own rather idiosyncratic English in 1967 when he was 27.

He took it first to the “French Bob Dylan,” Hugues Aufray, who said, “Bloody hell, it’s good, but it’s not for me,” Revaux told AFP. The British singer Petula Clark and the Egyptian-born diva Dalida also turned it down before Revaux―who by then had penned a string of hits―bumped into French megastar Francois in the Riviera resort of Cannes that summer.

They ate together and “Cloclo,” as Francois is known to generations of his fans, teased Revaux over never writing a song for him.

“You do all sorts of rubbish for everyone else, why not for me?” Revaux recalled Francois telling him, even though the singer’s managers had rejected the tune.

Slightly done over

Some time later sitting by the pool at Francois’s mansion, the singer asked him again. “Well, are you going to play me some of your rubbish then?” he demanded.

Revaux picked up his guitar―and the rest is history.

Francois recorded the song as “Comme d’Habitude” (As Usual), but before it was released Revaux got a call

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money on time."

Meanwhile, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday slammed Drilon for saying the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program was a "dismal failure."

"Its deceiving or fake news to say that the Build, Build, Build [program of the Duterte administration was a failure]," Cayetano said.

In House Bill 5456, Duterte is given the authority to exercise all powers needed to carry out a national policy to implement the government's infrastructure program “unhampered by existing laws, agreements, regulations, court orders and procedures that would cause delays in addressing exclusively the implementation of flagship projects.”

Duterte could also “utilize all neces-

sary government resources, exercise police power and employ executive actions” for the implementation of the billions-worth of priority projects under Build, Build, Build program.

HB 5456 also proposes to install safeguards with the implementation of an executive order carrying out provisions of the Freedom of Information proposal and the creation of a Congressional Oversight Committee.

If passed, the measure would allow the ease of “procurement rigidities” under the Government Procurement Law. Salceda, however, said the public bidding process would still be observed.

He also recommended Presidential Adviser on Flagship Programs and Projects Secretary Vince Dizon to be the flagship manager of the Build, Build, Build program. With Maricel V. Cruz

nouncing it in public.

In an interview with reporters in Tagaytay City, Cayetano reiterated his support to Robredo, who defeated the Speaker and former senator in the 2016 vice presidential race, as the new ICAD co-chairperson, but said he had to call her out over the way she is implementing the anti-drug campaign.

Robredo earlier called for an additional P15 million in the budget for the government’s anti-drug campaign under the proposed 2020 national budget.

On Thursday, Robredo said the PNP also sees the need to reassess and improve Oplan Tokhang.

During a meeting with PNP officer-incharge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, Robredo again called for a review of the police program.

“I reiterated my suggestion for them to rethink the campaign, especially Tokhang,” she said.

“I [also] reiterated that it has already created a negative iteration. In fact, it is now being used as a verb. There is a bad connotation once you say ‘tokhang.’ They agree. And they promised to assess and come up with an improved version,” she added.

While the PNP’s flagship Oplan Double Barrel was good on paper, there have been abuses in its implementation, she said.

“So I brought this up. And they agreed that it is high time to reassess how to evoke that the campaign is not against the person, but the campaign is by the people,” she said.

She said she was asking the PNP to provide her with the baseline data since 2016 as to how many drug suspects have surrendered and have been arrested and how many have been charged.

“What is the status of their cases? How many of them have been recommended for rehabilitation?” she said.

Gamboa said they tackled with Robredo the components of the overall drug strategy, among them, the “double barrel” program aimed at suppressing drugs infiltration, particularly in poor communities.

“We agreed on these initial steps to go forward,” Gamboa said.

“One of her suggestions is retooling how we are going to present that word Tokhang or probably balance with it with another one just to erase the notion that Tokhang means death, which is not so,” Gamboa said.

Also on Thursday, Senator Panfilo Lacson played down concerns of foreign interference, after Robredo sought the help of the United States in the war on illegal drugs.

He recalled that during his time as PNP chief, he was closely coordinating with foreign counterparts―the US Drug Enforcement Agency, Australian police, the Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau and the Taiwan Ministry of Justice and Investigation.

He said this kind of coordination was useful, particularly in addressing supply side problems. With MJ Blancaflor, Francisco Tuyay and Macon RamosAraneta

the proposed measures were pending at the labor and employment committee.

Labor groups have expressed concern over the proposal, saying workers will work overtime within four days that might have a negative impact on their health and salary.

The House committee has formed a technical working group to study the bills and come up with a proposal acceptable to both employer and labor groups.

Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Telecommuting Act, which allows employees in the private sector to work from home.

The law does not require employers to establish telecommuting arrangements that would be offered to employees “on a voluntary basis.”

Dasmariñas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said the proposal will help address the worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila and adjacent cities.

“The four-day work plan will give employees a three-day rest, giving them more quality time with their families and friends,” Barzaga said.

Under existing laws, Barzaga said government employees are required to work for 40 hours a week, even as he proposed that government employees work from Mondays to Thursdays; starting from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an hour break time from noon to 1 p.m.

“Studies show that a compressed workweek is highly correlated with productivity. In fact, employees working in said scheme showed improvements in job satisfaction, teamwork, work and life balance and company loyalty. Employees also experienced less stress and higher levels of happiness,” Barzaga said.

from his editor.

“He said Claude wanted his name on all the songs [on the album], and it wasn’t on this one. Would I mind sharing the credit with him for the music?

“I said, ‘No problem’... at the time we didn’t know what we were doing,” Revaux said.

And so the song’s official credit still reads: “Music: Claude Francois, Jacques Revaux. Lyrics: Gilles Thibaut.”

And now, as tears subside, Revaux finds it all so amusing. “I don’t regret it,” he said, before admitting that actually he has one or two.

“My only regret is that I disappeared as the composer” as far as the public was concerned, he said.

“Peace be upon his ashes, but Claude, like all the big stars, want to claim the credit.”

That said, Revaux admitted that Francois sang it fantastically and gave a bit of “muscle” to his “syrupy” original.

That summer the former Canadian teen idol Paul Anka heard the song while he was on holiday in France and later rewrote its storyline into one of someone reminiscing on life.

Rights sold for one dollar Having got the rights for a nominal dollar, he gave the song another tweak, especially for Sinatra, who had earlier told him that he was quitting show business. “I’m sick of it, son,” he had told him, saying would record only one more album before he hung up his hat.

But Anka chipped away at him, and

Sinatra recorded it at the end of 1968 “in one take,” according to the legend.

Released a few months later, it was a massive hit, boasting 75 weeks in the British Top 40―a record that still stands―and rerecorded by Elvis, the Sex Pistol’s Sid Vicious, Robbie Williams and Julio Iglesias.

Today it is the song most played at funerals in the world.

Even so, Revaux had mixed feeling when he first heard Ol’ Blue Eyes sing it.

“First of all I was happy, it was Sinatra, but shame on me” he failed to realize it was a masterpiece, he admitted.

“If it had been a straight translation of our “Comme d’Habitude” it wouldn’t have had 1 percent of its success,” he said.

“So thank you Mr. Paul Anka!” he laughed.

Looking back on it now, on the 50th anniversary of Sinatra’s version, Revaux said he “has never appreciated the song so much.”

For him, Sinatra was one of those stars “who you didn’t just walk up to” and though the two were in the same room when the singer was honored with a medal by the city of Paris, he did not dare to have his picture taken with him.

Although he has some sneaking admiration for the Sid Vicious version― ”he adapted it to his own personality while others have just taken the same tempo”―Nina Simone’s is his favorite.

“For me it is the most beautiful recreation of the song,” Revaux said. AFP

Medicine...

From A1 The Health department had earlier asked President Rodrigo Duterte to lower the prices of some medicines here, saying the drug rates in the country were, at most, 70 times higher compared with the prices of the same brands in the other countries.

The department said it will submit a draft executive order endorsing the price cuts for expensive medicines The prices of some drugs were last slashed in 2009 through an executive order by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Padilla said the medicines in the Philippines were “comparable” to those in its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

“And with respect to the fact that there is very fierce competition in the generics sector with medicine pricing, it shows that the market is striving very well,” he said.

Padilla urged the government to procure medicines since it had the “budget to purchase in bulk.”

“When government comes in to negotiate, they can say we have this amount, give us the best price,” he said.

“This is currently being done in Thailand and China, which used to have a price control mechanism but then they got rid of it simply because they knew they were not going to get the best deals by simply imposing price controls.”

Duterte...

From A1 which would take effect immediately, citing the need to “consolidate” the continuing rehabilitation efforts in all river systems and tributaries within Manila Bay. President Duterte bared his plan to dismantle the commission last month, adding the Pasig River “is already clean.”

“If the Congress is listening, congressmen, abolish it. There is nothing to clean in the Pasig River. It is already clean,” Duterte said in a speech.

The new order came two months after he fired PRRC executive director Jose Antonio Goitia over his alleged involvement in corrupt activities.

Formed in 1999 by former President Joseph Estrada, the PRRC is primarily

CAFGUs get P2k each in financial aid PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte postponed his meeting with North Cotabato farmers on Friday as he chose to visit the slain and wounded soldiers attacked by rebels in Eastern Samar.

Meanwhile, President Duterte ordered the grant of P2,000 worth of monthly financial support to the members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit in recognition of their services.

The order was signed on Nov. 8 but was released by Malacañang only on Thursday.

Duterte was initially scheduled to meet with farmers in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, according to the Palace, and no explanation was offered as to why he changed his schedule for the day.

Six soldiers were killed while 20 others were wounded in Eastern Samar on Monday after members of the New People’s Army detonated six explosives in Pinanag-an village in Borongan City.

Six improvised explosive devices went off as the soldiers arrived in the mountainous area following a tip that armed rebels had been extorting money from locals.

This was followed by a 30-minute firefight with an estimated 50 guerrillas.

Officials in Eastern Samar were saddened by the killing and wounding of the soldiers.

When asked about the Chief Executive’s postponement of event in North Cotabato, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte was busy with paperwork.

“He was reading briefs and documents and pouring over them," Panelo told reporters.

Duterte has been working from his home in Davao City since Tuesday to avoid "distractions" in Manila.

Asked if the President would stay home to continue with his unfinished paperwork, Panelo said: "It's up to him.

He will be the one to decide about the things he wants to do."

The President is set to return to Malacañang next week. MJ Blancaflor with PNA

Class holiday:...

From A1 The MMDA said there would be no road closures and rerouting schemes during the SEA Games but it will enforce a Stop and Go Traffic Scheme to give way for the delegates of the event.

The MMDA is one of the 21 government agencies under the Inter-Agency Security Task Force for SEA Games events.

On Thursday, the MMDA and other agencies conducted a simulation of the traffic scheme for the games opening ceremony from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. when it enforced the Stop and Go scheme.

Pialago said there will be no designated lane or special lane for the SEA Games convoy. However, she said, they will use the yellow lane when they pass through major roads.

House officials, meanwhile, Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Michael Romero was injured following a fall during a polo practice in Argentina, but said they were optimistic he would be able to compete in the SEA Games.

Romero, captain of the Philippine polo team, is also the president of the second largest political bloc in the House of Representatives with 54 member-congressmen.

Romero, now in his 40s, was unable to walk for two days after taking a fall from his horse during practice to prepare the Air Asia team for the La Canada Polo Club final in Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Air Asia team eventually won the high goal competition championship with Philippine team players, Anthony Garcia and Noel Vecinal, joining the group.

Romero said he will still represent the national team in the SEA Games polo competition to be held at the Miguel Romero and Inigo Zobel fields in Calatagan, Batangas.

He was expected to return home Thursday to prepare for the bid for two gold medals at stake in the polo competition. tasked to implement programs and projects aimed at reviving the polluted Pasig River connected to the Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. EO 93 transferred the PRRC’s functions to the Manila Bay Task Force, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The Manila Bay Task Force is tasked to “update and take the lead” in the overall implementation of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Master Plan, which aims to harness the water’s potential for transportation, recreation and tourism purposes.

Under the EO, the DENR is mandated to stop the dumping of untreated industrial wastewater and sewerage into the river.

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DENR asked: Where are 1.7-b trees under NGP?

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto yesterday asked for the whereabouts of the 1.7-billion trees supposedly planted in the 2 million hectares of land funded by P39-billion tree program.

Under the proposed 2020 national budget, he said the budget for tree planting would be doubled—from the current P2.6 billion to P5.15 billion.

He noted that the DENR’s National Greening Program is one of the very few programs that will be gifted with almost a 100-percent budget increase.

He also described the budget for health, the Philippine General Hospital and college scholarships are like trees being cut by chainsaws.

“But the one for NGP has assumed the status of a protected species,” he said.

But before the Senate approves it, he said some throwback is needed. He recalled that from 2011 to 2019, NGP’s total budget is P38.9 billion.

“Think I shall never see a project as large as the one to plant lovely trees,” said Recto.

Out of this money, he said the NGP should have planted 1.807-billion trees in 2.141 million hectares of land over the past nine years ending this December.

“But because 2019 is not yet over, let us just see the planting scoreboard from 2011 to 2018: 1.669 billion of trees planted in 1.998 million hectares of land,” said Recto.

‘Safety a priority in cutting trees’ THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Thursday said public safety is a major consideration in granting a tree-cutting permit.

Undersecretary Rodolfo Garcia, who is also the concurrent chief of staff, clarified the issue on the cutting of roadside trees in Naga City and Carcar City, Cebu to give way for ongoing road widening projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Century-old trees, which are diseased and dying, already pose a high risk to public safety, he said.

“The aims of development projects and protection of the environment are guided by practicality and making sure we conduct consultation with the people—consideration will be easing the lives of the people,” he added.

Trees had to be removed because these already encroach the highway, including carriageways and sidewalks, thus endangering the lives of motorists and nearby residents. Rio N. Araja

Win seeks review of K-12 program SENATOR Win Gatchalian said on Friday that he will convene a joint congressional oversight committee by January next year to review the K-12 program amid criticisms facing it.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture chairperson, said that it is important to ensure that K-12 is meeting its objectives to boost Filipinos’ competitiveness and readiness to join the workforce.

“A joint congressional oversight review will align the efforts of both chambers of Congress to ensure that the K-12 meets the needs of both students and the private sector,” Gatchalian said.

“The K-12 program is a massive historical educational reform we introduced to produce quality of graduates that our country needs,” he said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

SEAG DRY RUN. Officials of the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police help athletes transfer to a new bus to simulate the breakdown of their previous bus along EDSA in Makati on Thursday. This was part of the traffic simulation for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from hotels in Tagaytay, Pasay, and Manila over EDSA, North Luzon Expressway and other main roads in Metro Manila before arriving at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. Revoli Cortez

President to order probe of ‘corrupt’ Cabinet men

By MJ Blancaflor

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will order an “independent investigation” to validate the report submitted by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission linking two Cabinet secretaries in corruption, Malacañang said Thursday.

P

“It’s up to the President. But he will order an investigation. He will have the report validated,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters in Malacañang.

Commissioner Greco Belgica, who earlier bared that his office have been investigating Cabinet rank officials over allegations of corruption, said

the PACC submitted its findings and recommendation to the Office of the President in late October.

“The PACC has passed its report and recommendation to the OP. It goes through due process,” Belgica told Manila Standard.

Belgica earlier said the two sitting Cabinet officials have been accused of

Senate okays bill on creation of ‘Malasakit Centers’ VOTING 18-0, the Senate approved Senate Bill No. 1076, otherwise known as the Malasakit Center Act of 2019, which seeks to institutionalize the establishment of Malasakit Centers in all 73 hospitals run by the Department of Health.

The bill, authored and sponsored by Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, aims to consolidate the financial assistance provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in one office so that patients or their representatives will save time and resources in availing such assistance from the government.

“The Malasakit Center is one of the solutions the Duterte administration has developed to provide quick and quality access to healthcare to all Filipinos,

regardless of their age, sex, ethnic background, religion and political affiliation,” Go said.

“We laud this august chamber for making this a priority and one of the first legislations to be approved on third reading in the 18th Congress,” he added as the thanked his colleagues in the Senate for the support they gave in passing the measure.

He also thanked the DOH, DSWD, PCSO, PhilHealth, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other government agencies for “their cooperation and commitment to ensure the successful implementation” of Malasakit Centers.

At present, Go said there are already 50 Malasakit Centers nationwide serving more than 160,000 patients.

Under Senate Bill No. 1076, hospitals run by local government units and other

public hospitals may also establish their own Malasakit Centers provided that they meet a standard set of criteria and guarantee the availability of funds for the operation of their centers, including its maintenance, personnel and staff training, among others.

Go said patients who would be admitted to LGU and other public hospitals but are eligible for medical and financial assistance could also seek assistance from the Malasakit Centers.

One of the functions of the Malasakit Centers, he said, would be to provide patient navigation and referral to the health care provider networks.

He said the centers would also provide patients information with regards to membership, coverage and benefit packages in the National Health Insurance Program.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Alena Mae S. Flores LABAN Konsyumer Inc. has filed a complaint against the 15 oil companies for alleged price fixing, collusion and cartel with the Philippine Competition Commission in violation of the Oil Deregulation Law. LKI president Victorio Dimagiba also filed a complaint against the Department of Energy for allegedly abetting and facilitating the commission of price fixing, collusion and cartel by the other oil companies in adopting and continuing the implementation of a pricing formula that violates market competition and the law.

“I am filing a complaint against the oil companies which operate petroleum service stations and sell petroleum products of price fixing, collusion and cartel in violation of law by entering into an agreement substantially preventing and restricting competition in the retail of petroleum products,” Dimagiba said.

LKI filed a case against Chevron Philippines, Petron Corp., PTT Philippines, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Total Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Jetti Petroleum, Eastern Petroleum Corp., Filpride Energy Corp., Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Clean Fuels Philippines, City Oil Philippines, TWA Inc. and Petro Gazz.

The group cited Section 11 of the Oil Deregulation Law which prohibits cartelization,which means any agreement or concerted action by refiners, importers and/or dealers to “fix prices, restrict outputs or divide markets, either by products or by areas.”

LKI said the oil firms have individually sent weekly notices to the DOE of the adjusted prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene, with the same amount of effectivity and implemented on the same date.

4 Manila cops arrested for extortion

‘Gov’t must secure more investments’ SAYING that the Philippines had not been making too much headway in increasing its share of foreign direct investments, Senator Richard Gordon said the government should boost efforts to secure more investors.

He said the Philippines has remained fifth among the countries in Asia in terms of FDIs. “Infrastructure plus industrial parks plus good development plus good atmosphere, making it friendly for investments, would help,” said Gordon.

He added that with different business enterprises leaving China as a result of its trade war with the United States, the Philippines should be more competitive and the government should exert more effort to make them see the country as an alternate location.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act based on the complaints filed.

He also said one of the complaints was filed by an official from the Cabinet secretary’s department while the other was submitted by a private citizen.

The two unindentified Cabinet members, Belgica said, have been cooperating with PACC investigators as the commission conducted a lifestyle check on them.

The PACC investigation on the Cabinet officials started in February, he said.

President Duterte has repeatedly said he would not tolerate even a “whiff” of corruption from any government employee, but he was also criticized for reappointing sacked officials to other government posts.

Consumer group files cases vs. DOE, oil companies

DUTCH CODDLERS. Members of anti-communist group League of Parents of the Philippines appeal to the Dutch government through its embassy to stop coddling CPP/NDF founding chairman Jose Maria Sison in Utrecht, The Netherlands, during a protest in Makati City. Lino Santos

FOUR Manila police officers were arrested inside a substation of the Ermita Police Station in Baseco, Tondo for allegedly extorting money from a drug suspect Wednesday evening, the National Capital Region Police Office said on Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, NCRPO acting director, identified the suspects as Corporals Nickson Mina, Juan Carlo Guzman, Francis Mikko Gagarino and Pat. Tom Hikilan.

“The four were members of the beat patrol of Station 5, MPD [Manila Police District],” he added.

The four were arrested in the act of receiving the marked P200,000 from the complainant.

The NCRPO chief said the operation stemmed from the complaint of a woman at the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group or IMEG, the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police.

Prior to the complaint, the complainant’s

husband Kelvie Panansang was arrested for violation of the anti-illegal drugs law.

An investigation is still being conducted to determine if the operation is legitimate as there have been cases of planting evidence against arrested suspects they want to extort money from.

Sinas said the four policemen initially demanded P500,000 for the release of Panansang and that no drug charges would be filed against him.

The amount was later reduced to P200,000, he added.

Unknown to the four suspects, the complainant went to Camp Crame to seek assistance from IMEG which led to the entrapment.

Sinas said the four policemen were arrested after receiving the marked money right inside the Baseco Police Community Precinct in Manila.

Seized from them were the marked money, PNP IDs, and PNP-issued short firearms.

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Opinion

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

New date for book launch THIS made me laugh—a friend gifted my wife and me two cups. One read “Mr. Right” and the other, “Mrs. Always Right.” *** It’s now set. My book The Road Never Ends will be launched on January 23, 6 to 9 in the evening, at the Manila Golf and Country Club. It will be through the courtesy of House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Philippine Constitution Association president and my boss here at Manila Standard.

The launch was originally scheduled for November 26 but we decided to put it off because it would be too close to the Christmas holidays. ***

January 23 it is.

I can understand why President Rodrigo Duterte always says he gets tired and needs a break.

For a 74-year-old man, the job of a president is stressful, challenging and lonely. He may enjoy perks that we mortals do not have, and he may have awesome powers to do anything he wants. But the job takes its toll. I am really surprised that he is comparatively healthy despite his aches and pains.

Santa Banana, Duterte is fighting on many fronts! He has to deal with corruption, illegal drugs, communism, terrorism, and China’s incursion into our territory!

I have been a journalist for almost 70 years. I have covered 10 presidents and walked the corridors of power. I have seen the best and worst in our leaders.

I have never seen a chief executive so saddled with numerous wars!

For one thing, the drug menace will not end. The President has been waging this war for three years. He knows the problem will remain even beyond his term—why do you think he made Vice President Leni Robredo the drug czarina? Because he knows the struggle is doomed to fail.

Likewise, Duterte also knows that

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

government corruption will not end so long as public officials and employees get to exercise discretion in their transactions. It is so deeply embedded in the system that any attempt to eradicate it will not be successful.

As for his other wars, he may not overcome them all at once. But he will try, anyway.

Perhaps Mr. Duterte now realizes that the job of a president is starkly different from the job of a mayor. When he was mayor of Davao, he could sleep.

Now he is sleepless! *** Is Senator Manny Pacquiao really thinking of running for president in 2022? According to President Duterte, he is serious. Santa Banana, what have we Filipinos done to deserve him?

To lead a nation of more than 105 million takes more than boxing powers.

I have always said that anybody can aspire for the presidency so long as he or she is a natural-born citizen, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least 40 years old on election day, and a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding such election.

But I think the Constitution must be amended to include a college degree as a minimum requirement for the presidency. Otherwise, we could be the laughingstock of the world!

With the kind of electorate we have, anybody could become president just by spreading money around. The people are poor and jobless and they need it.

God forbid! *** We now know that Vice President Leni Robredo accepted President Duterte’s offer for her to lead the war on drugs without realizing what she is getting into. She wants the human rights body of the United Nations to give her lessons on how to wage the war on illegal drugs.

Clearly she believes that ending the killings means ending the war, period.

She also wants to stop the supply of drugs to the Philippines—just how, she did not say. She is also in touch with the rehabilitation agencies.

I would like to remind the Vice President that first of all, drugs is a health issue, not a peace-and-order one. My gulay, even the United States is having

C

Rice tariffication is misunderstood

RITICS have been pouncing on the rice tariffication law without weighing its benefits on farmers and the economy as a whole.

not produce more due to lack of credit support, and irrigation and post-harvest facilities. Philippine farming has also not been modernized, contributing to the low rice output. Farmers, in addition, do no have access to high-yielding rice varieties.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, a former agriculture secretary, is against moves to to repeal Republic Act 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law. The measure, according to him, will not only make the country achieve greater food security but also revolutionize the agriculture sector.

There would be no turning back to the era of low rice productivity, he said.

"We are now reaping the benefits of the rice tariffication law," he said, adding the rice industry "stagnated" in the previous years, trapping millions of Filipinos in poverty.

Dominguez added the initial success of the law eased pressures on employ-

The law essentially increased the tariffs on rice imports but eased the restriction on the volume of shipments to fill in the supply lack in the domestic market and stabilize the price of the commodity.

Soaring rice prices were blamed for the high inflation rate in late 2018 after local production fell short. Rice imports were restricted and failed to bridge the gap between supply and demand.

Critics should concede that local farmers are unable to meet the local demand because of low and inefficient production. Rice farmers, in turn, can-

ers to raise the salaries of their workers.

Critics must be reminded that the law also created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which is funded by part of the collections from rice import duties. Collections from the rice tariffs as of Oct. 31, 2019 reached P11.4 billion, already exceeding the P10-billion earmarked for fund.

The RCEF is designed to support greater mechanization, distribution of high-yield inbred seed, credit and extension support and education in the rice industry. The fund will basically support rice farmers with the distribution of certified rice seeds and 16 other location-specific varieties for two consecutive seasons to improve their yield.

Increased rice production, mechanized farming and more post-production facilities will eventually make our farmers more competitive. There should be no argument about that.

Turn to A5

The high cost of cancer drugs WITH the high cost of anti-cancer drugs, there are a few patients who just opt to wait out the short time they have left. This is the sad state of Filipinos who have fallen victim to the Big C. While there have been advances in medicine that doctors can now dispense to treat this once-incurable and dreaded disease, the prohibitive price of cancer drugs can make patients even sicker just by thinking of how and where to source the funds.

Cancer, according to the Department of Health, is the second-leading cause of death among Filipinos after cardiac arrest. Both diseases are preventable if people avoid smoking and eating fatty foods.

Three Manila Standard top editors succumbed to cancer and I have other friends who were also cancer victims.

The most common among women is breast cancer which doctors claim can be hereditary. But it is the easiest to arrest with mastectomy or breast removal. The most famous of these victims is Hollywood film star Angelina Jolie who survived by having both breasts removed.

In 2017 alone, 64,125 Filipinos lost their lives to cancer. The high number of deaths, according to government data, can be traced to the fact that only rich members of Filipino society have access to the pricey anti-cancer drugs.

The annual treatment cost of the most common breast cancer ranges from P2.8 million to P 4.1 million.

These are for medications such as Lapatinib, Bevacizumab. Eribulin, Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab.

The more expensive breast cancer drug, Doxorubicin, has an annual treatment cost of P5.2 million Lung cancer treatment using Bevacizumab. Pembrolizumab and Cetux-

imab costs a staggering P3 million to P4.1 million annually.

Poor and middle-class Filipinos cannot afford these medicines. It would take a minimum wage laborer almost 20 years to pay for a year's worth of breast cancer treatment using Lapatnib for his wife or daughter.

With the atrocious cost of cancer medicine. a diagnosis of the disease in a person is a death sentence, considering the outrageous cost of treatment.

For many Filipinos, a cancer diagnosis is in itself a death sentence.

The Maximum Drug Retail Price as proposed by the Department of Health under Secretary Francisco T. Duque has been submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for price control under Republic Act 9502. The list submitted by Duque includes seven of the 10 most expensive cancer drugs.

The pharmaceutical companies of course are not happy with Duque's initiative as it would cut down their huge profits. The expected price reduction would entail 20 percent in most drugs—in some, as much as 50 percent.

The drug companies proposed to slash prices on their own but Duque shot it down, knowing the reductions would be minimal and still beyond the reach of the poor cancer patient. It is to Duque's credit that he has the guts to fight big business whose only concern is profit and more profit to remit to the mother company based abroad.

Underprivileged Filipinos have found a savior in Duque who with his price reduction move would be giving cancer patients a longer lease on life.

But then, will the pharma companies reduce their profit margin and show some concern for cancer patients?

Term-sharing scheme peters out DON’T look now, but Speaker-in-Waiting, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, may have to wait some more before he realizes his ardent ambition to take over the post now held by Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano under a term-sharing agreement.

Velasco was banking on a categorical statement from President Rodrigo Duterte that he would respect the term-sharing agreement between him and Cayetano.

But that didn’t happen.

Duterte was non-committal on the term-sharing issue when he attended the birthday celebration of Velasco last Monday: “It’s up to you if the parties would honor (the term-sharing agreement). I’m not forcing anybody to take a stand. It’s your choice because the agreement and the choice is yours, because you can make or unmake the Speaker,” he told the gathering of lawmakers during Velasco’s joint birthday party with his wife Rowena.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo later told a regular press briefing: “That’s what I have been saying all along, that he will not intervene unless his advice is sought... You get your conclusion from what he said, I think that his statements are enough. The President has spoken, it’s very clear. So, you reach your own conclusion.”

Based on the formula that the President brokered last July, Cayetano would assume the Speakership in the first 15 months while Velasco will take over for the next 21 months, or from

October 2020 until June 2022.

Cayetano had said he would honor the gentleman’s agreement with Velasco.

But he nonetheless expressed openness to the idea of extending his leadership until 2022, but only if Velasco would be

Velasco’s dream of taking over as Speaker may not happen soon— or at all—as he appears to be capitalizing only on his perceived closeness to Duterte as his ticket to the top House post. willing to give way. “I’m planning for 15 months and so far we already have three months. So, hopefully we can focus on our work and until that time, perhaps it would be best if we only do what we have to do. Otherwise, there might be disunity,” Cayetano said. “For me, we can be more productive if we just do our

job. After the 15th month, perhaps I have to say I’ve done my job. Now, the question is, did I do it well or not? So, that is where I want to focus first,” he stressed.

Velasco expected the President to confirm the term-sharing deal during his birthday party. But with Duterte taking a hands-off position on the deal, the members of the House are likely to put the Speakership to a vote by the end of Cayetano’s 15th month.

It now appears that the President has chosen performance above everything else, such as friendship, in deciding whom to support.

The latest Pulse Asia survey shows Cayetano garnering a 62 percent trust rating and a 64 approval approval rating, which are both higher than what Vice President Leni Robredo has received.

These ratings are also higher than that of his immediate predecessors, and he was able to achieve this in his first two months as Speaker.

The 2020 General Appropriations Bill was approved by the House on third and final reading in record time. Moreover, Cayetano has made sure that the bill contains no pork, no illegal insertions and no “parked” funds.

The President’s priority reform measures he mentioned in his fourth Stateof-the-Nation Address have been quickly approved in the House under Cayetano’s leadership. Among these are the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act, the Passive Income and Turn to A5

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Opinion

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

John Gokongwei (2) WHEN John Gokongwei Jr. died on Nov. 9 he had lodged an enviable 80 years of spectacular entrepreneurship At 27 in 1954, John put up a cornstarch manufacturing, going against the biggest in the business, Ludo and Luym. He tried to borrow his capital.

The first bank rejected him. The second gave him a P500,000 loan, princely at that time. It jumpstarted Universal Corn Products. He was met by a vicious price war. He won.

Universal Corn is what JG Summit Holdings is today. In 2018, JG Summit had revenues of P291.9 billion, net income of P19.2 billion, and assets of P819.2 billion, up 11 percent. JG Summit claims it is the third-largest conglomerate in terms of how much the stock market values the company, P532 billion.

JG Summit owns 61 percent of Robinsons Land, 67.2 percent of Cebu Pacific Air, 55.8 percent of Universal Robina Corp., 8 percent of PLDT, 29.6 percent of power distribution monopoly Meralco, 30 percent of power producer Global Power, 60 percent of Robinsons Bank, 100 percent of JG Summit Petrochemicals, and 37 percent of Singapore’s property and hotel developer UIC. In the first half of 2019, JG Summit had revenues of P158.4 billion, up 9.7 percent, and profits of P17.4 billion, up a whopping 76.8 percent.

In the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, John waged among his biggest boardroom battles—a board seat in giant San Miguel Corp. controlled by the Soriano family. John was aghast that he had more shares of San Miguel than the Sorianos did (just 1.8 percent) and yet was not allowed to enjoy one board seat. He lost because of the Supreme Court.

The boardroom fight revealed am ambitious streak in John. That you could actually buy companies bigger than yours. And that you could grow big indeed through acquisitions.

Later, the ailing Don Andres Soriano put John in the board of San Miguel’s Hong Kong subsidiary and sold to him at a bargain what was a decrepit riverside warehouse property on EDSA which John converted into a sprawling cyberpark, condo and commercial complex.

In 2011, John sold his money-losing Digitel to the PLDT Group Manny Pangilinan for P69 billion. The deal enabled John to get two board seats in PLDT and Pangilinan to control majority of Meralco. In 2013, John acquired 27 percent of power distribution monopoly Meralco from San Miguel, joining Pangilinan for control of Meralco.

Big John could count on three things as his legacy.

One, his disruption of three industries

that were controlled by what he called Goliaths—airline, cellular telephony, and ready-to-drink tea.

Two, he became big largely through acquisitions and not through internal growth of companies he founded.

Three, he inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs, bold and unafraid.

John’s Cebu Pacific, now 23 years old, became No. 1 in being a low-cost carrier.

He inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs, bold and unafraid.

His C2 became No. 1 in RTD tea.

His Digitel Sun Cellular became a major player in cellular phones by offering cut-throat rates but when the competition became too tough, he sold out to the biggest telco, PLDT, at a huge profit, while retaining significant presence to cash in on future growth of PLDT. Established March 1996, Cebu Pacific pioneered the “low fare, great value” strategy. It taught Filipinos to fly, not sail. It has flown over 150 million passengers It flies to 26 international and 37 domestic destinations. It operates from seven strategic hubs: Manila, Cebu, Clark, Kalibo, Iloilo, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. From five aircraft in 1996, Cebu Pacific now operates a fleet of 70 aircraft—44 Airbus (36 A320 and eight A330) and 17 ATR (eight ATR 72-500 and nine ATR 72-600) aircrafts. The fleet is one of the most modern in the world. Between 2018 and 2022, Cebu Pacific takes delivery of 32 Airbus A321neos, seven Airbus A321 neos, and seven ATR 72-600 aircraft orders.

The airline prides itself with a load factor of 90 percent, an enviable 53 percent share of the domestic passenger market, annual revenues of P50 billion, profits of P9 billion, and passenger volume hitting 20 million.

CEB is the first local airline to introduce web check-in, e-ticketing, and seat selection in the Philippines.

Cebu Pacific will become conservative and flexible in its fleet expansion following a massive refleeting. Cebu is making 4.2x more money from ancillary revenue (like baggage fees and penalties) which contributes 75 percent of revenues, than passenger sales (18 percent). Cargo is 7 percent.

In 2011, John bought into PLDT for P69.2 billion, once the Philippines’ telco monopoly but which later lost traction and focus. This was after selling his Digitel (Sun Cellular) to PLDT for P74.1 billion.

In 2013, he bought for P71.9 billion 27 percent of Meralco, Luzon’s electricity distribution monopoly. That Meralco equity is worth P116 billion today.

JG Summit’s diluted ownership of 8 percent of PLDT today is worth only P19 billion. Larger in value than JG’s ownership in PLDT is its 37 percent in UIC, the Ayala of Singapore. The 37 percent in UIC is worth P105 billion.

In stock market value, he has lost P50.2 billion on his PLDT stake (P69.2 billion minus P19 billion) but gained P44 billion on his Meralco equity (P116 billion minus P71.9 billion). That is, of course, without reckoning the value of cash and stock dividends for the past six years in the case of Meralco and the past eight years in the case of PLDT. In November 2014, John bought New Zealand’s Griffin’s Food Ltd. for P26.25 billion.

JG Summit’s largest subsidiary, Universal Robina Corp. expanded in the region on John’s idea that the ASEAN market alone (550-million people) is far larger than the Philippines market (107-million people).

In 2016, JG Summit acquired 30 percent of Global Business Power for P11.8 billion. GBP is a major power producer for the Visayas and Mindoro with generating capacity of 854 megawatts.

John sold prematurely his stake in PCIBank to Equitable which later became the largest bank, as BDO, under Henry Sy Sr., a long-time business rival.

As a result, John missed the awesome double-digit growth in bank profits and returns on equity that the ten largest banks continue to enjoy today despite tightening competition.

In the 1970s, the Philippine National Bank was the largest in Southeast Asia.

Today, the entire Philippine banking system is not even enough to match the resources of the biggest bank of either Singapore or Thailand.

John was going back into banking with his increasingly aggressive Robinsons Bank.

John was also late into power generation, a business that San Miguel easily dominated very early with generation capacity of 4,293 MW. It is not too late to enter the game as power demand now grows 5 percent per year with the explosive growth of the economy.

JG was also late to enter infrastructure. JG is looking at the P108-billion rehab of NAIA. It lost out in the bid for Clark.

Robinsons Land mulls entry into warehousing and logistics, dorm and shared office spaces, and digital space.

In Forbes’ listing of Philippine billionaires, Gokongwei Jr. is ranked third, with estimated wealth of $4.4 billion, behind Henry Sy with $18.3 billion and up and coming Manuel Villar with $5 billion.

In the BizNewsAsia Billionaires ranking of November 12, 2019, John is No. 3, with $3.9 billion wealth, behind Sy, $16 billion and brown property taipan Manuel B Villar Jr., $6.56 billion, but ahead of beer and property investors Iñigo Zobel and sister, $4.85 billion. biznewsasia@gmail.com

The rediscovered memories of a Viennese Jewish family

By Sophie Makris ANOTHER moving chapter in the story of the Viennese Jewish Ephrussi family—made famous in the book The Hare With Amber Eyes—has been written after around 40 members of the family reunited in the Austrian capital for the first time in decades.

The family's history is one of splendor in Vienna's Belle Epoque heyday before persecution under the Nazis scattered the family across the world.

Last week Vienna's Jewish Museum inaugurated an exhibition tracing the Ephrussis' story, the centerpiece of which is the Japanese sculptures that accompanied the family on their tumultuous journey.

One of them is the eponymous hare from the book by ceramic artist and Ephrussi descendant Edmund de Waal.

The status the Ephrussis enjoyed in Vienna at the turn of the 20th Century is clear from the edifice that still bears their name on the Ringstrasse, the showcase boulevard of the former Habsburg capital.

With its five floors, neo-classical columns, ballroom, courtyards and gilded coffered ceilings, the ornate residence embodied the stunning success which took the Ephrussis from their roots as grain traders in Odessa to prominent figures in the world of finance in Vienna and Paris.

But after the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938, the family's downfall was swift: their property was seized, their home occupied, their bank erased from the business register.

De Waal's great-grandfather Viktor

Ephrussi left the country with two suitcases and died stateless in 1945.

Astonishing moment The exhibition retraces these steps through objects that descendants of the family have donated to go on show in the city that expelled their ancestors.

Gathered for the occasion from all over Europe, the United States and Mexico, some of the family previously had only a vague idea of what earlier generations had suffered.

"People have moved on as well, away from Vienna, so to us, to our generation and my children, it’s a long time ago," Edward de Waal, another one of Viktor Ephrussi's great-grandsons, told AFP at the exhibition's unveiling.

It was Edmund de Waal who took up the challenge of retelling the family story in his best-selling book, which has so far been translated into 20 languages.

"It's an astonishing moment in my life to walk around such a profound visualization and dramatization of our collective family story," 55-year-old Edmund said at the exhibition preview.

An 'unresolved' story The thread that runs through his book is the spellbinding collection of 264 netsuke, tiny and exquisitely crafted Japanese sculptures first collected

by Viktor Ephrussi's Parisian cousin Charles.

Charles Ephrussi was a key figure in the Paris art world in Paris of the time, friend of Auguste Renoir and patron of other Impressionist artists, as well as the inspiration for the character of

Swann in the works of Marcel Proust.

Charles sent the netsuke collection to Vienna as a wedding present for his cousin, where it was saved from the Nazis' plunder and passed down the generations, crossing continents as it went, before arriving back in Vienna.

For the next several years they will be one of the highlights of the Jewish Museum's collection.

But Edmund de Waal is keen to stress that "this is not a perfect, beautiful story... about a family coming back and all being OK". He stresses that it remains "unresolved."

Part of the netsuke collection was recently auctioned to raise money for refugee charities and de Waal sees disturbing echoes from the past in the current political situation.

"This a terrible moment in Europe for refugees, a terrible moment for anti-semitic rhetoric, a terrible moment for trying to cross a border," he says.

As for the Palais Ephrussi itself, it was given back to the family in 1949.

However, as the city was still occupied and heavily damaged from the war, it fetched just 30,000 dollars when sold.

Last week the palace played host to a reception for the family presided over

by Victor de Waal, Edmund's 90-yearold father.

Victor is one of those who intends to take advantage of a recent law enabling descendants of victims of Nazi persecution to apply for Austrian citizenship.

A gesture he wants to dedicate to his grandfather Viktor Ephrussi, forced from the city all those years ago. AFP

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EvEryman

Missing from the climate change battle: The worker

By Purple Romero CAN a waste picker or a jeepney driver be the face of climate change mitigation?

The answer is yes. Both depend on industries that contribute carbon emissions, the culprit behind climate change. Both will also be affected immensely when these industries shift to clean energy as they face the possibility of losing their sources of income.

They, therefore, are in the best position to show how the transition can be done in an inclusive manner, with them getting new jobs that are more environmental-friendly done in a pace that is neither too slow nor too hasty, through a process that will take into account their situation, their reality and the future of their own families.

This is called just transition. “Just Transition—the idea that justice and equity must form an integral part of the transition towards a low-carbon world—is increasingly being mobilized both to counter the jobs versus environment binary and to broaden the debate on low-carbon transitions,” the 2018 report “Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World,” explained.

The report, done by the Just Transition Research Collaborative, cited the example of Canada, where coal miners are expected to be laid-off following the government’s announcement of a national phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation by 2030.

Labor unions and organized groups such as The Alberta Federation of Labour and United Steelworkers asked the government to provide measures that will cushion the impacts of such phaseout on their livelihoods.

The government of Alberta hence introduced a Coal Community Transition Fund and a Coal Workforce Transition Program.

Such steps are also imperative in the Philippines to also prevent the demonization of workers who demand just transition. They are being painted as enemies of change, when they are not.

Jeepney drivers who held a transport strike did not stage one because they opposed the modernization of public transportation per se. They did it because the costs of switching to vehicles that are Euro 4-compliant are too big, hence their demand for a higher government subsidy.

“We also know about climate change and we do not object to steps that the government wants to take to fight it, but what we are asking for is just transition.

The change that they want could not just happen overnight,” Jaime Aguilar, president of the National Confederation Transport Union said in an interview.

A modernized jeepney costs around P2 million. The government has only allotted an P80,000-subsidy for each unit; the jeepney drivers would have to pay the rest using their own money. A jeepney driver, Aguilar said, only earns around P800 a day.

Waste pickers, on the other hand, could be affected by the disruptions in the recycling industry caused by proposed ban on waste imports. Waste

New...

From A4

a hard time solving its own drug problem. That simply means that illegal drugs have become the bane of nations.

In the end, any effort to fight illegal drugs will just, at best, minimize it. *** It would be foolish to believe the socalled progressives when they deny that they are fronts for the Communist Par-

Term-sharing...

From A4

Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, House Bill 1026 further increasing the excise taxes on alcohol products and e-cigarettes, and the amendments to the Foreign Investments Act. Cayetano has proven to be capable of transforming the House into a “relevant, responsible and reliable” legislature, thus earning praise from his colleagues.

“If the President does not intervene, we House members will decide whether to retain Speaker Cayetano or push through with term-sharing. As far as we in the Nacionalista Party and other congressmen are concerned, we want continuity in the leadership,” Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte said on Wednesday. He said a leadership change in midstream would be “disruptive”, adding that what happened last year, when a sudden change in House leadership took place, the 2019 national budget became a casualty as its approval was delayed.

According to Villafuerte, it would be difficult to replace the incumbent Speaker, “given our numerous accomplishments in the first three months of his

pickers perform an important role in collecting and segregating items that are still recyclable.

Both a ban on waste imports and recycling done right are needed however in order to minimize plastic pollution and pave the way for reduced plastic production. Plastic is derived from fossil fuels, with carbon emitted from its whole life cycle.

“Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet,” a study of the Center for International Environmental Law said that the annual emissions in 2019 from the plastic life cycle are equal to emissions from 189 coal plants.

In order to help waste pickers sustain their source of livelihood amid a waste import ban, the local market for recycling, focusing on local waste, should be energized and supported by the government.

Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of Ecowaste Coalition said the Philippines already has the needed law—the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000—in place in order to improve the local market for recycling.

What’s left to be done is for it to be enforced properly.

“The Philippine government should enforce the Recycling Program as stipulated under RA 9003 otherwise known as The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 Section 26 that states “The DILG and other concerned agencies and sectors, publish a study of existing markets for processing and purchasing recyclable materials and the potential steps necessary to expand these markets. Such study shall include, but not limited to, an inventory of existing markets for recyclable materials, product standards for recyclable and recycled materials, and a proposal, developed in conjunction with the appropriate agencies, to stimulate the demand for the production of products containing post-consumer and recovered materials,” she said.

Training for green jobs or jobs in the renewable energy industry should also be made available to other workers who stand to lose employment as the country shifts to clean energy. There’s already a law which promotes green jobs, defined as “employment that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, be it in the agriculture, industry or services sector” in Republic Act 10771 or the Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016.

The Climate Change Commission is tasked with designing and developing standards and certification system for companies that will provide green jobs.

Such options for formal just transition measures must be made known to workers’ groups, cooperatives representing the informal sector and labor unions, which in turn should not also be afraid to have their voices heard in the revolution to have a world that is not dependent on dirty energy.

Ms. Romero is a freelance journalist who has written about environment and human rights issues for local and international news organizations. ty of the Philippines.

This is exactly why the Armed Forces of the Philippines is going after them. The communist movement is still alive and kicking.

The crackdown on dozens of socalled progressives in Negros, for instance, is proof that the communists are taking advantage of labor and tenancy problems in the area. My gulay, where do you think Joma Sison is getting his perks during exile?

The military is planting evidence?

Come on, that’s an old refrain!

leadership and his high public trust and approval ratings.”

Another Deputy Speaker, Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong City, predicted that Cayetano would win if the speakership term-sharing issue were put to a House vote. “It’s difficult to fight an incumbent,” he said.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., president of the National Unity Party, said with Duterte’s hands-off stance, House members “will most likely opt to continue with Speaker Alan’s leadership.” “Why change or swap horses in midstream? We might as well retain him as our Speaker,” he said. Cayetano’s 64-percent and 62-percent approval and trust ratings in recent surveys, he added, “are remarkable if we consider the low marks the House received in previous Congresses.”

What this tells us is that Velasco’s dream of taking over as Speaker may not happen soon—or at all—as he appears to be capitalizing only on his perceived closeness to Duterte as his ticket to the top House post. Maybe he should start doing more work as chair of the House Committee on Energy so he can boast of an enviable track record in this area to prove that he truly deserves the leadership post in the House. ernhil@yahoo.com

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News

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BOC seizes P4.4-m smuggled sugar

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE Bureau of Customs said Thursday it seized eight containers/vans of smuggled sugar estimated to be worth P4.4 million.

The seized sugar, which arrived at the South Harbor from China, was consigned to RZTREC Trading and declared as steel coils.

However, upon inspection of the shipments, Customs examiner found Korach conditioned refined sugar.

The Customs said importation of sugar, cane or beet sugar, and other artificial sweetener must secure import permit from the Sugar

Regulatory Administration.

The BOC immediately issued a warrant of seizure and detention against the said shipment for violation of Section 1400 “Misdeclaration, Misclassification and Undervaluation in Goods Declaration,” in relation to Section 1113 “Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture,” and Section 117 “Regulated Importation and Exportation” of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

SC disbars lawyer found guilty of gross misconduct

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has ordered the disbarment of a lawyer after finding him guilty of gross misconduct for his indiscretions and greed.

In a 13-page en banc decision dated Aug. 14, 2019, the SC found Atty. Elmer A. dela Rosa guilty of gross misconduct in violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility and ordered the Office of the Bar Confidant to strike out his name from the Roll of Attorneys.

The high court stressed that Dela Rosa’s disbarment was immediately executory, but was without prejudice to any pending or contemplated proceedings to be initiated against him.

“He has been warned the first time; he has not made amends to undo the consequences of his indiscretions and greed this second time. He was punished with three years of suspension, but to no avail, as no sooner could he complete the service of the penalty than he is again before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Court reviewing his actuations,” the SC ruled.

The tribunal disbarred Dela Rosa who was accused of breaching his fiduciary duties all because of money for the second time. “[A] mistake repeated more than once is a decision,” the Court said, quoting Paulo Coelho.

The tribunal lamented that Dela Rosa, who has been suspended from the practice of law for three years effective Sept. 26, 2016 for borrowing a substantial amount of money from his client-spouses, is again caught up in a similar situation involving substantial amounts of money affecting this time his client-cooperative and its farmer-beneficiaries.

In 1997, Palalan CARP Farmers MultiPurpose Cooperative hired Dela Rosa in a civil case involving the annulment of a Transfer Certificate of Title over a 111.4 hectare land situated in Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City, in the Cooperative’s name.

In 2002, the cooperative executed a special power of attorney authorizing Dela Rosa to do certain acts but revoked the same in 2007. Despite the revocation of the SPA, Dela Rosa still brokered the sale of the property.

Dela Rosa did not dispute that he processed the sale and paid the farmer-beneficiaries their respective shares in the purchase price.

According to the tribunal, Dela Rosa acted with corrupt intent to flagrantly disregard established ethical rules, and his conduct amounts to grave misconduct.

The IBP-Board of Governors concluded that Dela Rosa preferred to protect his own personal pecuniary interest over the interest of his client and its members, and recommended the extreme penalty of disbarment on him, which the SC adopted.

The SC also held that Dela Rosa had “proven himself disloyal to his client— exploitative, untrustworthy, and a doubledealer.”

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 102-QUEZON CITY MYRADEL G. MAQUILING-GARCIA, Petitioner, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-01064-CV FOR: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage NATHANIEL D. GARCIA, Respondent. x------------------------------------------------x

ORDER of SUMMONS

By PUBLICATION In a verified Petition filed on January 17, 2019, petitioner MYRADEL G. MAQUILING-GARCIA, prays that after due hearing, her marriage to the respondent NATHANIEL D. GARCIA, which was solemnized in a matrimony of marriage on November 18, 2000 at Quezon City, be declared NULL and VOID AB INITIO. Upon petitioner’s motion, service of summons on said respondent was allowed by the Court to be served by publication, in its Order dated May 28, 2019.

NOW, THEREFORE, respondent NATHANIEL D. GARCIA, whose residence is last known to be at Blk 13 Lot 40 GSIS Homes, Molino 3, Bacoor, Cavite, is hereby summoned and required to file with Branch 102 of the Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial Region, Quezon City, his Answer to the instant Petition within THIRTY (30) DAYS from last date of publication of this summons. In the event of his failure to do so, this Court shall direct the Public Prosecutor to conduct an investigation of any collusion between the parties and if the Court is convinced that there is no collusion, the petitioner shall be allowed to present her evidence in support of the petition.

Let this Order be published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation pursuant to P.D. 1079 at the expense of the petitioner.

Likewise, let a copy of the summons as well as a copy of the petition be deposited in the Post Office, postage pre-paid and sent registered mail addressed to the respondent at his last known address, also at the expense of the petitioner.

SO ORDERED. Done in Quezon City, this 28th day of May 2019.

(Sgd.) (Sgd.) MA. LOURDES A. GIRON Judge Copy furnished: Atty. Judith Erna L. Querijero (MStandard-Nov. 8 & 15, 2019)

CHURCH FACELIFT. Rev. Ricky Villar, OSA, director of San Agustin Museum, uses a Karcher high pressure washer in cleaning

the facade of the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila on Thursday. The church is scheduled for restorative cleaning as part of the cultural program that aims to preserve historic landmarks around the globe. Norman Cruz

Navy, CEZA ink MOA on Fuga detachment THE Philippine Navy and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement on the proposed construction of a naval detachment on Fuga Island, Aparri.

The signing took place at PN headquarters in Naval Station Jose Andrada, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, said Navy public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas.

CEZA chief executive officer, Secretary Raul Lambino and PN flag-officerin-command, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, signed the MOA. The signing was witnessed by other ranking officials of the two agencies.

“Through the memorandum of agreement we have just signed today… the Navy and CEZA can indeed accomplish more as we mutually enhance each other’s capacity to perform our respective mandates,” Empedrad said.

Empedrad also thanked Lambino and his team for agreeing to expand the previous memorandum of agreement, effectively accommodating more possibilities for the Navy to enhance its capability in safeguarding our northern frontier and at the same time contribute to the socio-economic development in Northern Luzon.

Lambino reiterated the importance of PN-CEZA partnership, adding that the geographical configuration of the Philippines requires an active Navy.

“As a Filipino and as an Ilocano together with Vice Admiral [Empedrad] we are going to make Northern Luzon an area where the Philippine Navy can be most effective in protecting our country and our people,” he said.

The MOA formalizes the proposed Navy detachment which will be built in the CEZA-managed zone.

The zone comprises the entire municipality of Santa Ana and the islands of Fuga, Barit, Mabbag, and Aparri in Cagayan.

This area has both access to the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, which is vital for the country’s national security.

The PN, through the Naval Forces Northern Luzon, is mandated to conduct naval and maritime operations to secure the Philippine sovereignty and integrity of national territory from foreign and domestic threats with “in the Northern waters of the country including the Philippine Rise.”

Meanwhile, the CEZA is tasked for the development of a self-sustaining industrial, commercial, financial, investment and recreational center and freeport with suitable retirement/residential areas to create employment opportunities in and around the zone. PNA

Cabanatuan City judge told: Explain summons THE Supreme Court will require a Metropolitan Trial Court judge in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija to explain reports that he subpoenaed to appear in his court the traffic enforcers who issued him an illegal parking ticket and confiscated his license plate in Baguio City last month.

SC spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka said the Court would hear the side of Cabanatuan MTC Branch III Nelson Lago why he summoned traffic enforcers from Baguio City for reportedly issuing him with an illegal parking ticket and for taking his license plate.

“I was told by SC Court Administrator Midas P. Marquez that he has requested Deputy Court Administrator for Luzon, Raul B. Villanueva, to ask Judge Nelson Lago to comment on these news reports,” Hosaka stressed.

Reports showed that Lago ordered the traffic enforcers to appear before his sala on Nov. 29 and give an explanation on why they should not be cited for indirect contempt.

Lago was reportedly attending a security seminar in Baguio City when, on Oct. 25, he parked his car briefly at a market along Kayang Street when the traffic enforcers removed his licensed plate.

In his subpoena order, the Judge said settling the fine and recovering his licensed plate resulted in the delay in the scheduled hearings and administration of justice.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong reportedly said he also hoped that he would be issued with a subpoena so he could explain the city’s traffic ordinance.

Magalong defended his traffic enforcers, saying they were merely following the local law on illegal parking. Rey E. Requejo

Coast Guard to recruit 4,000 officers, personnel THE Philippine Coast Guard will recruit 4,000 officers for commissioning and personnel for enlistment before the end of 2019.

PCG Commandant Vice Admiral Joel Garcia urged natural-born Filipino citizens who are physically and mentally fit, as well as of good moral character to apply as a PCG officer or enlisted personnel by processing an application in any of the Coast Guard District across the country.

The minimum qualifications for a PCG officer: a four-year college degree, a professional civil service eligibility, and a passing mark at the PCG Aptitude Battery Test for commissioning.

The entry-level salary for a com-

missioned officer with a rank of Ensign is P51,000.

Meanwhile, applicants for PCG enlisted personnel shall have at least 72 completed units or a six-month Technical Education and Skills Development Authority course certificate as a proof of skill or expertise in a field of practice.

He/She also needs to pass the PCG ABT for enlistment.

The entry-level salary for enlisted personnel with a rank of Apprentice is P37,000.

Applicants for commissioning or enlistment shall submit the following documents to the nearest Coast Guard District for processing: Ac-

complished PCG ABT application form and personal information sheet that are downloadable at the PCG Recruitment Branch Facebook page, photocopy of transcript of records, photocopy of certificate or diploma, and photocopy of Philippine Statistics Authority authenticated birth certificate.

Schedules for examination are on Nov. 30, 2019; Dec. 7, 2019; and Dec. 14, 2019 in identified Coast Guard Districts across the country.

For more details, coordinate with the PCG Recruitment Branch at 0917-815-6992, cghrms@coastguard.gov.ph, or fb.com/pcgrecruitmentbranch. PNA

LETTUCE SURPLUSAGE. There is an oversupply of lettuce in the Benguet capital of La Trinidad, which causes prices to plunge because demand is low—an ironic sight as an unidentified farmer attends to his rows of green and purple lettuce, hoping for some return of investment soon enough. Dave Leprozo

BI nabs 36 suspected Yakuza members BUREAU of Immigration agents arrested 36 Japanese citizens on Wednesday afternoon they believed were members of the dreaded “Yakuza” gang in Manila over alleged phone scam targeting people in Japan.

The Japanese men ran a phone scam targeting mostly elderly people in Japan, according to BI officials.

The scheme, which the Japan Embassy believed might have netted more than 200 million yen ($1.79 million) over several years, involved scammers calling people in Japan and falsely claiming family emergencies or unpaid

bills that required immediate funds.

According to the BI, similar scams involving other nationals have been uncovered in Japan.

The BI said these scams typically use hard-to-trace internet phones, making it difficult for police to track them down.

The Japan Embassy in Manila requested the help of BI for the arrest of the Japanese men who have victimized their countrymen through the scheme.

All the Japanese men are now detained in BI detention jail in Bicutan. Vito Barcelo

Sports

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Judiciary, PNP in do-or-die UNTV game

PVF’s U18 Girls’ volley goes to Cebu THE Philippine Volleyball FederationTanduay Athletics U18 Girls “Series in Ur Cities’ Volleyball Cebu leg gets underway on Sunday (November 17) at the Cebu City Sports Institute Gym. The tournament is held in close coordination with the Cebu City Sports Council.

Eight school teams have confirmed their participation, namely Tejero Night High School, Oppa Night High School, Lahug Night High School, Basak Night High School, Inayawan Night High School, Abellana National School, Guba Night High School and Oppa National High School.

The organizers are bringing their own set of PVF duly accredited, licensed and loyal officials in their efforts to cleanse their ranks in preparation for the Federation’s reinstatement as the country’s national sports association for volleyball.

A full complement of officials from the PVF-affiliated Davao Volleyball Association of Davao City headed by its president Daks Yambao will be flying in on Saturday.

Complimentary drinks and lunch will be provided to all participants and officials.

The Cebu City Sports Council is graciously providing the packed lunch while PVF, headed by its leader, Edgardo ‘Tito Boy’ Cantada is sourcing Cebu’s famous and well loved lechon.

Fruit drinks will be provided free of charge by Tanduay Athletics.

The tournament is free of charge.

Martirez seeks to extend run in PPS Iloilo LOCAL ace Althea Martirez hopes to ride the momentum of her two-title run in Roxas City as she goes for another “double” even as Drixcyn Guillano tries to rebound from a failed bid last week in the PPS-PEPP MCF Global national age-group tournament firing off today (Nov. 15) at LaPaz tennis courts in Iloilo City.

Martirez, from Central Phl U, will be facing practically the same field she bested in the girls’ singles 16- and 18-and-under divisions in Roxas City plus a number of new faces aiming to steal the spotlight in the Group I tournament presented by Mayor Jerry Trenas in partnership with the MCF Global and Mac’s Crankit Foundation.

They include Avril Suace, Rissa Cubos, Stephanie Crisosto, Petrina Aguirre and Crystal Ojaldon with Aguirre bannering the 14-U section that also drew Aleeva Suace, Jasmine Jaran and Dolores Hofilena with Queen Villa and Lourraine Jallorina joining Aleeva Suace and Hofilena in the 12-U category.

Foiled by Kendrick Bona, a Mac’s Crankit-MCF Global protégé, in Roxas City, Guillano is going all-out for a big comeback, eyeing to sweep the boys’ 16- and 18-U titles in the five-day event presented by Dunlop, which also serves as part of the countrywide talent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro.

But out to stop Guillano are Rewel Justiniani, Joshua Raymundo, Roger Lamparero and Roxas City leg winner Nikhel Nowlakha with Bona also setting out to score a repeat in 16-U play that also features Gerald Gemida, Elemar Sealza, Angelo Mejia, Raymundo and Lamparero.

Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 3 p.m. – Ombudsman vs PITC 4:30 p.m. – Judiciary vs PNP

JUDICIARY and Philippine National Police dispute the fourth and last second-round berth on Sunday in a showdown between former champions in the 8th UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center.

The Judiciary Magis, who ruled the tournament for public servants twice, and the PNP Responders, who reigned three years ago, tangle at 4:30 p.m. with both teams out to nail their second win in the six-team Group B elims to advance to the second round.

With injuries to key players early in the season, the once feared squads st r uggled as the Magis and Responders won only once in four games so far.

The winner will join unbeaten Department of Environment and Natural Resources (5-0), Malacañang-Philippine Sports Commission (4-1), and National Housing Authority (3-2).

Equally important is the match between Ombusdman and PITC in Group A with the former out to improve their 1-3 record and forge a tie with the Global Traders (2-2) and the PhilHealth Plus (2-3).

If the Global Traders triumph, they will tow the PhilHealth to the next round along with defending champion and undefeated Armed Forces of the Philippines (5-0) and Department of Agriculture (4-1).

One thing going for the Responders is that they are coming off an inspiring 94-63 win over the GSIS Furies —thanks to Richard Villanueva and former University of the East player Olan Omiping who combined for 31 points.

Out to lead the Magis are former Ginebra player Chester Tolomia and PBA veterans Warren Ybanez.

Jose Midas Marquez hopes to lead Judiciary against PNP in the 8th UNTV Cup on Sunday.

PAL Interclub golf returns to Bacolod on March 4 to 7 B

ACOLOD City will host the 73rd Philippine Airlines Interclub and the 34th PAL Seniors golf team championships in February and March next year, according to tournament director Henry Arabelo.

The Men’s Regular team event is set March 4-7, 2020 with Cebu Country Club defending the overall title it won in historic fashion at its home ground last March.

Competing in the second-tier Founders division, Cebu CC amassed 516 points to beat Manila Southwoods by nine points.

It marked only the second time that a team outside the championship division won the Interclub. Veterans Golf Club first did the trick in 1988.

Luisita settled for third, 26 points off the pace.

The Seniors event, on the other hand, will be held February 26-29, 2020 with defending champion Luisita and Canlubang renewing their rivalry.

Last March, Luisita staved off Canlubang’s final round rally to win by three points, collecting 569 points.

It was Luisita’s 17th crown, solidifying its status as the most successful club in the Seniors division.

Arabelo said invitations have been

sent to local and foreign clubs.

Venues for both tournaments are the Negros Occidental Golf Country Club, more popularly known as Marapara, and the Bacolod City Golf and Country Club (Binitin).

The PAL Interclub is considered as the country’s premier team tournament that has produced the likes of Ben Arda, Golem Silverio, and Frankie Miñoza, among others.

Through the years, the event has grown in size and stature with the influx of international teams from the United States, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Organizers have set aside three days for practice rounds for both the Regular and Seniors tournaments.

Rañola’s TR Bexan XP Capsule solo champion in MCC derby CARMONA—The Manila Cockers Club Inc., the country’s cockfighting industry game changer, presented the 21st MCC 7-Stag Breeders Festival (Season 3) at the world-class Cockers Arena, San Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP), with Thunderbird endorser Teng Rañola and his entry TR Bexan XP Capsule bagging the solo championship.

Rañola scored a hard-earned 6.5 points in the festival also named as the Dr. Teddy Tanchanco (TJT) 7-Stag Tribute Derby slated November 2 to 10, against some of the industry’s toughest breeders, which included Joey Fontanilla/Tin Francisco (JKA Dragon Fire), Roger Jamisola (CP’s Amazing Rojam), Victor Gregorio (Wow Birds), and Alejo Castillo/Ghie Borabien (AMC Alyssa Raine and SAP Stryker).

As part of MCC’s grand BERmonths circuit derby, players were awarded a guaranteed P6 million as participating breeders assistance fund (PBAF), and P1 million ad-

Teng Rañola (3rd from left), owner of TR Bexan XP Caspule, receives his MCC Championship Trophy and P50,000.00 worth of products from Thunderbird. Havy Bagatsing of Sabong Nation (2nd from left) and MCC President Ding Magboo (5th from left) presented the award. Lower photo shows Tomas Tanchanco (2nd from left) and Bambi Inocencio (4th from left), son and wife of the late Dr. Teddy Tanchanco, receives the donation from MCC, courtesy of Magboo.

ditional breeders assistance fund (ABAF) for regular members who finish the course of the derby.

Rañola is a member of MCC and has regularly participated in its cockfighting events for the past two years.

The tribute derby was organized by the Manila Cockers Club, Thunderbird and Sabong Nation host, Havy Bagatsing.

The late Dr. Tanchanco, also known as Doc Teddy, was also part of the popular cockfighting show, where he had several segments on proper gamefowl preparations, conditioning, medications, breeding, and incubation, among others.

Dr. Tanchanco’s son Tomas Tanchanco and wife Bambi Inocencio received a donation from MCC. Present during the donation were Bagatsing; Ding Magboo, MCC President; Rollie Ramos, MCC Pitmaster; Ruel Hernandez, MCC VP for Tote and Sabong Operations and Ramil Tan, Sabong Nation host.

Team Dimension Data rebrands to NTT Pro Cycling TOKYO—NTT Pro Cycling, a UCI WorldTour cycling team based in South Africa, unveiled its team for the 2020 season as it rebrands from Team Dimension Data. The announcement, made at the home of NTT in Tokyo, was accompanied by a jersey reveal and insights into the technology solutions driving rider recruitment and race strategy within the team.

The new kit will grace the WorldTour and the sport’s biggest races throughout 2020. It’s a brand that riders will wear with immense pride, while at the same time continuing to showcase the impact that bicycles have in changing lives through NTT Pro Cycling’s work with Qhubeka, which has recently distributed its 100,000th bike.

The team for 2020 features nine exciting new riders, to supplement the current pool of talent as the team looks to race with a goal of establishing itself among

the top ten teams in the world.

The 2020 line-up includes: Carlos Barbero (ESP), Samuele Battistella (ITA), Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR), Victor Campenaerts (BEL), Stefan de Bod (RSA), Nicholas Dlamini (RSA), Benjamin Dyball (AUS), Enrico Gasparotto (ITA), Amanuel Gebreighzabier (ERI), Ryan Gibbons (RSA), Michael Gogl (AUT), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA), Ben King (USA), Roman Kreuziger (CZE), Gino Mäder (CHE), Louis Meintjes (RSA), Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA), Ben O’Connor (AUS), Matteo Sobrero (ITA), Andreas Stokbro (DNK), Dylan Sunderland (AUS), Jay Thomson (RSA), Rasmus Tiller (NOR), Michael Valgren (DNK), Max Walscheid (DEU) and Danilo Wyss (CHE).

Each of the riders were selected with the help of a technology solution that was co-innovated by NTT and NTT Pro Cycling. The solution leverages advanced data analytics that helps the team to select

riders, prepare its race calendar, and assign the right riders to the right races.

Technology also helps the team monitor the health and wellness of its riders through a mobile application, and business-focused applications such as asset tracking, vehicle tracking and monitoring, help the team to function as a well-organized global business.

Together, we’ve created the most technically advanced team in the WorldTour.

“Thanks to all of our partners, and in particular our title sponsor NTT Ltd. We strive to be the benchmark within the sport through being a performance-driven, technology-enabled team that is underpinned by our unique purpose-led approach in support of the Qhubeka charity,” said Doug Ryder, Team Principal, NTT Pro Cycling.

“Our commitment to changing lives together with Qhubeka remains stronger than ever and we’ll be looking to do so with even greater enthusiasm in 2020. Together with our staff, riders, and valued partners

this core belief remains a foundation of our organization. Our team’s story now continues into the next phase, which will see us use our established platform to aim higher and to shoot further. We truly are a team that was born in Africa but created for the world.”

Ruth Rowan, Chief Marketing Officer, NTT Ltd. said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Doug and the team under the NTT brand in

2020. As headline sponsor, we help NTT Pro Cycling to leverage technological innovation to realize its ambition of being ranked among the top 10 cycling teams in the world. We’ve brought together our data platforms, analytics and machine learning, and combined them with the NTT Pro Cycling’s expertise in athletic performance to create a truly unique team that is focused on being the best in the world, whilst riding for a cause.”

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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Sports

Singles shootup as North forces The Duel tie

North’s Fidel Concepcion (left) and Michael Bibat flash the thumbs-up signs after humbling South’s Rufino Baybay and Jhonnel Ababa.

Knights eye title; Lions seek tie

By Peter Atencio

T

HE defending champion San Beda Red Lions will have to try harder in limiting the Letran Knights’ high-octane offense if they want to bounce back and take Game 2 of the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association best-of-three men’s basketball finals at 4 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The last time around, the Red Lions managed to hold down the Knights to below 70 points, but still absorbed a 6465 setback in Game 1 last Tuesday.

The Knights seek the crown with a win.

Earlier, the San Beda Red Cubs will go for the crown against the Lyceum Junior Pirates in Game 2 of the Junior division.

The Red Cubs, led by Jay Ynot and Justin Sanchez with 16 points, took Game 1 with a 94-80 triumph over the Junior Pirates.

The Red Lions usually holds teams to score an average of 61.7 points per game during the eliminations. The Knights, who average 78.6 points, will definitely be a challenge.

For coach Boyet Fernandez, the Red

Lions will be able to have a fighting chance to go for their fourth straight crown if they managed to hold down the Knights’ output.

“We limited Letran to 65 points and their average is 78.6 points. If we can still do that on Friday, and make our shots, then we can give ourselves a chance for Game 3,” said Fernandez.

The Red Lions’ big man Donald Tankoua, who tops the league in field goal percentage with 64%, was down to a 30 % clip in Game 1 (3/10 shooting) and he could do better the next time they clash with the Knights.

Evan Nelle, the assists’ leader with 6.7 per game, is also expected to bounce back with Clint Doliguez and AC Soberano, who were held scoreless at the three-point region.

On the other hand, the Knights will be

looking at what point guard Fran Yu can do.

Yu averaged 9.4 points, 3.8 boards, and 4.4 dimes during the elimination round, And it was his defensive stop on Nelle and assist to Larry Muyang in the dying seconds which spelled the difference in the game.

The 5’10” Yu improved his averages to 13.3 points, 4.67 assists, and 5.33 rebounds in Game 1.

“Hind pa tapos. Although we have the momentum, we need to hold the game para makuha namin iyung Game 2. Sana hindi na pakawalan ng mga bata,” said Knights’ coach Bonnie Tan. A championship tradition is at stake for the Red Lions, who are the winningest college team in the league with 22 titles.

The Knights are trying to catch up, since they are behind the Red Lions with 17 crowns.

Macatula, Tan join World Cup in Indonesia NATIONAL champions Krizziah Tabora-Macatula and Merwyn Tan fly to Palembang,Indonesia tomorrow (Saturday) to represent the Philippines in the Qubica AMF Bowling World Cup international finals on Nov. 16-22.

Macatula, 28-year-old women’s international titlist in Hermosillo, Mexico in 2017, is hopeful of adding another crown to her name, while Tan, 20-year-

old marketing freshman at St. Benilde (Antipolo), is optimistic of doing better than last year when he finished 11th in Sam’s Town, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Macatula and Tan earned the right to gain slots in the international finals by emerging as national champions last September 13.

Since winning the Philippine event, Krizziah said she’s been playing every other day in prepara-

STA. ROSA, Laguna—Team North struck back in foursomes, pulling of its own version of a 4-2 romp over South yesterday to force a tie at six and turning today’s 12 singles matches into a shootout for The Duel— North vs South crown at Sta. Elena here today.

The Northerners proved better in the tougher alternate shot format event with the Keanu Jahns-Gerald Rosales and Justin Quiban-Eric Gallardo pairs, which saved the team from South’s 4-2 charge in the four-ball Wednesday, sustaining their top form to trounce the Elmer Salvador-Reymon Jaraula and Arnold Villacencio-Rene Menor tandems, 3&2, and 4&2, respectively, and remain unbeaten in the country’s Ryder Cup-style format event.

Mars Pucay and Ira Alido, meanwhile, bounced back from a four-ball defeat to Salvador and Jaraula with a 2-up escape over Zanieboy Gialon and Jerson Balasabas while Michael Bibat and Eric Concepcion likewise rebounded from their previous losses with different teammates with a 4-3 victory over Rufino Bayron and Jhonnel Ababa to actually give North the lead with one match left in another calm day at the well-kept par-72, 6960-yard layout.

But North missed completing a big rout as James Ryan Lam and Joenard Rates blew a 3-up lead after nine holes and lost steam at the finish, enabling Tony Lascuña and Nilo Salahog to hack out with a 2-up victory, their second straight, and salvage a key point for South.

Jay Bayron and Albin Engino earlier provided the other win for South via a 6&5 roll over Jobim Carlos and Jun Bernis.

With six points apiece in team play, the title chase comes down to individual skills with South out to exploit its edge although North has the materials to slug it out shot-for-shot and putt-for-putt with its fancied rivals in the singles tipped to go down to the last pairing.

“They played hard to win and did it,” said North coach Cookie La’O, who steered the team to a three-point win at John Hay last year that cut South’s Duel series’ lead to 2-3. “Now it’s even, I just hope they’ll duplicate their victory.”

As defending champion, North needs just six wins in the singles to keep the crown while South must score 6.5 points to reclaim the championship in the highlight event of the 10th season of the Philippine Golf Tour sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Merwyn Tan and Krizziah TaboraMacatula are shown with Joey R. Puyat, executive vice president of Puyat Sports, after receiving their plane tickets and allowances.

tion for the prestigious world plum.

Macatula is only the third Filipina bowler to win the BWC. The first two PH champions are the late Lita dela Rosa and Bong Coo. On the other hand, Tan bowled at least five times a week since he topped the men’s national finals for the second straight year. “Talagang fight to the finish ito,” he said. “Kailangan maganda ang maging finish ko ngayon.

Rizal complex facilities ready soon

BY TODAY (Friday), everything should be in place.

Work on the rehabilitation and renovation of facilities inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz and at the Philsports Complex in Pasig is expected to be finished before the week is up.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman and national team chef de mission William Ramirez said this as he talked on the status of ongoing repair work on facilities that will be used for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

“The way I look at it, everything will be in place before the opening,” said Ramirez.

The contractors tasked to do the work of the six major facilities for

the SEA Games have a target date of Nov. 15.

By this time, the country’s hosting of the games for the fourth time should have no more delays, with still 15 days to go before the opening ceremonies.

So far, the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, which underwent major rehabilitation for the first since 1953, has reached 90 percent in terms of readiness last week.

The Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Tennis Center and football stadium need another week and should be ready by Nov. 21.

The retrofitting, installation of air-conditioning, lights, new chairs, and other new features are expected to have been done by Wednesday. Peter Atencio

PBA Press Corps writing contest set THE PBA Press Corps is inviting Metro Manila schools to join its sportswriting contest, a project the group is reviving on Nov. 22.

Limited slots are available on a f irst-come, f irst-served basis for college and senior high students. Each school is allowed entr y of two writers and one photographer.

The innovation of including a photographer for the first time is in line with the 25th anniversary celebration of the competition first held in 1994.

Participants are required to submit valid school IDs and should be a bonafide member/ staff of their respective school publication.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners, while a short seminar will precede the contest proper.

For further details, please contact Hazel Ancheta of the PBA office (0956-8717835) or Gerry Ramos of the PBAPC (0915-2034869).

IN BRIEF BSP maintains interest rates

THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday maintained its benchmark policy rates amid the easing inflation rate and expected acceleration of economic growth in the second half.

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila said in a news briefing the Monetary Board decided to maintain the interest rates on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase facility at 4 percent, the overnight deposit rate at 3.5 percent and lending facilities at 4.5 percent, respectively.

“Latest baseline forecasts of the BSP continue to indicate that inflation is likely to settle within the lower half of the target band of 2 to 4 percent for 2019 up to 2021, with the balance of risks to the inflation outlook leaning toward the upside for 2020 and toward the downside for 2021,” Dakila said.

He said the upside risks to inflation over the near term could emanate mainly from the potential impact of the African swine fever outbreak on food prices and from potential volatility in oil prices amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Julito G. Rada

Business

Alliance Global posts P12.8-b profit

ALLIANCE Global Group Inc., the listed holding company of tycoon Andrew Tan, said Thursday attributable net income increased 7 percent in the first nine months to P12.8 billion from P12 billion a year ago, lifted by higher earnings in real estate, liquor and quick service restaurant units.

It said excluding non-recurring gains, core attributable profit grew 11 percent to P12.7 billion from P11.4 billion a year earlier.

Nine-month consolidated revenues rose 17 percent to P127 billion from P108.8 billion, reflecting an accelerated growth pace from the first half.

“We continue to work hard to deliver the strong performance across all our business segments,” AGI chief executive Kevin Tan said.

“We undertake product innovations, capacity expansions and even pursue digital transformations in order to further strengthen our diversified portfolio in this fast-changing market. We believe these deliberate strategies will soon bear fruit, allowing our Group to show accelerated growth in future earnings,” Tan said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Cathay Land expands Cavite industrial park

CATHAY Land is expanding phase 2 of its Cavite Light Industrial Park in Silang, Cavite amid the growing demand from foreign manufacturers.

“With the advent of the US-China trade war, we see a lot of foreign manufacturers, even Chinese manufacturers who have traditionally been exporting from China to the US. They are now uncompetitive. So a lot are trying to get out, and we are confident a small chunk of these [investors] who would like to locate to the Philippines,” said Cathay Land president Jeffrey Ng. Tranches 2 and 3 of the project’s phase 2 will involve 15 hectares of saleable area. It will have a total of 53 lots, with sizes ranging from 1,400 to 4,738 square meters available at P8,550 per sq.m. or about P25 million per lot.

Tranche 3 is up for completion by December 2019 and will be turned over to qualified investors by January 2020. The development of tranche 4 will be announced soon.

“Some have bought their lots already. Some are still under negotiation but every month there are new interested investors who are willing to locate their factories here in the Philippines,” Ng said. Othel V. Campos

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

B1

By Othel V. Campos

10-SECOND PERMIT. Trade Secretary and Ease of Doing Business-Anti Red Tape Authority Council chairman Ramon Lopez (front row, fifth from left) joins Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian (fourth from left), Vice Mayor Lorena Natividad-Borja (sixth from left) and city councilors in launching the Paspas Permit, which will allow entrepreneurs to register, process, renew and pay business permit applications in Valenzuela City through an online system within 10 seconds.

Dominguez sees growth exceeding 6% until 2022 F

By Julito G. Rada

INANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Thursday the Philippine economy will sustain its momentum and grow above 6 percent until the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2022.

Dominguez, speaking before a forum organized by the Chief Executives Organization at Makati Shangri-La Hotel, said the economy was “ready to soar” after the strong 6.2-percent expansion in the third quarter.

He said the massive rollout of the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program and the bold policy and administrative reforms undertaken by President Duterte were supporting the rosy outlook for “one of Asia’s powerhouse economies.”

Dominguez said the economy expanded by an average of 6.4 percent in the first 13 quarters of the Duterte administration.

“While most of the mature economies

are expected to grow slower this year, the Philippines stands staunchly as a growth leader in this dynamic region of the world,” he said.

Dominguez said that “against the headwinds of a broad slowdown in the global economy, we expect our economy to grow at around 6 to 7 percent this year. The country is strong and ready to soar.”

“Into the foreseeable future, we are confident of sustaining a 6-percent or better growth rate despite the headwinds buffeting the global economy,” he said.

Economic growth in the third quarter accelerated to 6.2 percent from a sluggish 5.5 percent in the second quarter, prompting the government to declare that the low end of the 6-percent to 7-percent target range for the full year was “very” doable.

The third-quarter expansion was faster than the 6-percent growth in the same period last year. This brought economic growth in the first three quarters to 5.8 percent, near the low end of the target range.

Major contributors to the economy in the July-to-September period were services which grew by 6.9 percent, industry with 5.6 percent and agriculture with 3.1 percent.

ADB approves $300m in loans for LGU reforms THE Asian Development Bank said Thursday it approved a $300-million policy-based loan to support the Philippines’ efforts to help local government units across the country deliver highquality and accountable services, boost economic development and reduce poverty.

It said the Local Governance Reform Program subprogram 1 would empower and equip LGUs to meet the needs of citizens and ensure they delivered services aligned with local preferences, improve their capacity to raise their own revenue and lower the cost of doing business for the private sector.

The program is in line with the government’s plan to expand the role of LGUs as catalysts of local economic development, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.

“ADB supports the Philippine government’s goal of creating a high-trust society, where citizens have confidence in the capacity of local government institutions to deliver services to communities and provide a simpler business environment for private enterprises. A healthy business environment will lead to more jobs and strengthen the local economy,” said Jose Antonio Tan III, director for public management, financial sector and trade at ADB’s Southeast Asia Regional Department.

The Philippines is a relatively decentralized nation, especially when compared with its neighbors in Southeast Asia.

ADB has teamed up with the government since 2006 on a program of major reforms to ensure decentralization results in inclusive growth, quality service delivery and better economic opportunities for a rapidly growing population.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Auto sales rose 3.8% in October

Bloomberry earned P8.6b in 9 months

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp., the owner and operator of Solaire Resort & Casino, said third-quarter net income surged 245 percent to P3.9 billion from P1.13 billion in the same period last year on higher gaming revenues.

This brought nine-month net income to P8.56 billion, up by 33 percent from P6.44 billion a year ago.

Bloomberry said in disclosure to the stock exchange total gross gaming revenue at Solaire went up by 46 percent in the third quarter to P17.11 billion, driven by higher VIP revenues and strength in the mass gaming segments.

“I am pleased to report third-quarter net profit of P3.91 billion, representing a 245-percent year-on-year increase despite incurring higher interest expenses and foreign exchange losses. We are now in the last stretch of 2019, and we look forward to delivering a strong set of full year results,” Bloomberry chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

Construction posted the highest growth of 16.3 percent in the period, followed by financial intermediation with 10.9 percent, transport with 9.1 percent and trade and repair of motorcycles and other vehicles with 8.1 percent.

Dominguez said Filipinos were beginning to reap the rewards of a resilient, well-managed economy under the watch of President Duterte, as shown by the drop in the unemployment rate to its lowest level in 40 year, and the decline in poverty incidence from 27.6 percent in the first half of 2015 to 21 percent in the same period in 2018.

He said the Philippines was expected to graduate to upper-middle income country ranking by next year, ahead of schedule.

Dominguez invited the global business leaders present at the Makati Shangri-La gathering to take a look at the opportunities that abound in the country.

“There are many areas where joint ventures and business partnerships will be fruitful. Today, it is much easier for joint ventures to quickly commence because of our comprehensive effort to improve the ease of doing business in our economy,” Dominguez said.

VEHICLE sales rose 3.8 percent in October to 34,397 units from 33,150 units a year ago, two industry groups said Thursday.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said deliveries also climbed 8.1 percent from 31,820 units in September. This was the highest monthly sales growth this year.

“The current market demand for vehicles along with creative and aggressive sales promotion efforts give us a positive outlook as we aim to sustain the growth trend for the remaining months of the year,” CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said in a statement.

Data also showed vehicle sales in the first 10 months increased 2.5 percent to 301,761 units this year from 294,311 units in 2018.

“We remain positive that our industry target for the end of the year will be achieved as all brands remain committed to provide innovative mobility solutions to the Filipino people,” Gutierrez said.

The two industry groups said that on a monthly basis, passenger car sales went up by 3.72 percent to 10,083 units in October 2019 from 9,721 units in September while commercial vehicle sales improved 10 percent to 24,314 units from 22,099 units.

Among the commercial vehicles, the light and medium truck category saw sales decline 2.3 percent and 0.8 percent to 734 and 385 units, respectively.

Light commercial vehicle sales went up 4.5 percent to 18,271 units from 16,488 units while Asian utility vehicles increased 43.1 percent to 4,780 from 3,341 units. Heavyduty trucks posted 9.9-percent sales growth to 144 units.

Gutierrez said the recent sales figures indicated a continuous market demand for vehicles and a clear upward trend for the industry in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Atty. Jose Marlon Pabiton

PLDT-PALAU SMART TIE-UP. PLDT

Global Corp. teams up with technology company Palau Smart Technologies to bring Free Bee and Smart products and services to overseas Filipinos in the island country of Palau and the whole Micronesian group of islands, including Guam. Signing the agreement are (from left) Jose Poligratis, business consultant at PST; Russell Rodas, president of PST; and Artemio Quiamas Jr., head of international retail business at PLDT Global.

Ayala infusing $237m for 20% stake in 2 Myanmar firms

By Jenniffer B. Austria AYALA Corp., the country’s oldest conglomerate owned by the Zobel de Ayala family, is expanding its presence in Southeast with a $237.5-million equity investment in two companies owned by Myanmar tycoon Serge Pun. Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would invest up to $237.5 million for a 20-percent stake in two holdings companies of the Yoma Group. These are Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd. and Myanmar-listed First Myanmar Investment Public Co. Ltd. The deal is a milestone in Ayala’s history and the biggest investment by a Philippine conglomerate in Myanmar.

“Our partnership with the Yoma Group gives Ayala a unique opportunity

to participate in Myanmar’s growth story. We could not imagine a better way to do this than with the Pun family, whose solid, decades-long reputation as a business house has cemented their expertise in multiple sectors such as real estate, banking, automotive, healthcare, power and tourism, among others,” said Ayala chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

“We have always believed that ASEAN has a massive potential to reap the benefits of Asia’s rise in the global economy. Ayala can definitely move closer to this aspiration by working with a respected and diversified conglomerate in the region,” he said.

The Yoma Group executive chairman Serge Pun said: “Ayala is one of the foremost conglomerates in the Philippines, a family business that has endured genera-

tions of change, while maintaining a stellar track record in many sectors across the economy. We have much to learn, and they have much to teach us. We look forward to leveraging their expertise and experience to strengthen our existing businesses, and to explore potential new opportunities in Myanmar,” said Pun. The Ayala group said Myanmar is one of the fastest growing economies in the region with a GDP growth over six percent year-on-year for the last three years.

“We are confident that by leveraging our own capabilities and experiences over the last 185 years, Ayala’s partnership with the Yoma Group could certainly help improve the lives of people in Myanmar through purposeful business,” Ayala president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

PondoPeso lauds SEC for actions vs shady lenders

FYNAMICS Lending Inc., the company behind PondoPeso, said it supports the Securities and Exchange Commission’s campaign in shutting down online lenders that were operating without the necessary licenses.

Fynamics spokesperson Atty. Jose Marlon Pabiton said the recent ceaseand-desist orders against unscrupulous online lending apps were a welcome development among legitimate industry players. “We fully support the SEC’s mandate and its efforts to clean up the online lending industry,” Pabiton said.

“The local online lending industry is still in its infancy, but it has rapidly expanded due to the countless individuals it has helped. The SEC, as the congressionally mandated regulator of this industry, is well positioned to support its stable growth, so we appreciate its efforts to help standardize the entire sector,” he said.

PondoPeso, the online lending app owned and operated by Fynamics, is one of the most established and chosen platforms among online borrowers. A majority of its users are minimum wage earners who are neglected by banks and other mainstream credit granting institutions.

SEC commissioner Atty. Kelvin Lee was at the forefront of the recent crackdown on online lending companies, who, apart from operating without the necessary permits and licenses, were reportedly harassing and shaming delinquent borrowers.

More than 20 online lenders have been shut dow, and 47 applications faced cease-and-desist orders against them.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market declines; Jollibee slumps

T

HE stock market slipped Thursday in thin trading, with investors staying on the sidelines ahead of the policy meeting of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas late in the day.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 13.76 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,933.71 on a value turnover P4.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 107 to 78, with 55 issues unchanged.

Jollibee Foods Corp. slumped 5 percent to P202.60 after disclosing that it was investing up to $7.8 million in a joint venture company that would develop and operate Tim Ho Wan stores in Shanghai, China.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. of the Aboitiz Group declined 2.9 percent to

P52.80, while DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group dropped 2.8 percent to P7.68.

Casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. of tycoon Enriquez Razon Jr., however, rose 3.1 percent to P11.30.

The rest of Asian markets fluctuated Thursday with investors shifting cautiously following another Wall Street record as Donald Trump hailed progress in US-China trade talks, while eyes were also on Hong Kong after another night of violent protests.

Tokyo fell 0.8 percent after data showed Japan’s economy grew at a slower pace than forecast in the third quarter as it was hit by trade wars.

Taipei eased 0.2 percent, Singapore shed 0.3 percent, Jakarta sank more than one percent and Mumbai was off 0.1 percent.

But Shanghai added 0.2 percent, Sydney rose 0.6 percent, Seoul edged up 0.4 percent and Wellington put on

0.6 percent.

Hong Kong tumbled 0.9 percent following another night of unrest in the city, which has seen a pick-up in violence since the weekend as protesters blocked roads in certain districts— closing businesses—and disrupted public transport for a fourth day.

The standoff has hammered the Hang Seng Index—which had lost around four percent by Wednesday night— while there are concerns about possible intervention by Beijing.

Trading floors were edgy as a volatile week continued, with very few details from Washington and Beijing on negotiations for their mini tariffs agreement.

Trump’s comments on Wednesday that “our trade agreement with China is moving along very rapidly” provided some support, though observers said markets were looking for something concrete to buy into.

“Let’s not forget that as long ago as June we were told that a USChina trade deal was 90 percent of the way there,” said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK. “Yet since then we’ve seen new tariffs applied to Chinese goods, albeit with some exemptions, with a new set of tariffs still expected to kick in on December 15.”

Equities have seen healthy rallies in recent weeks on optimism the two sides would soon reach a partial deal as part of a wider agreement to end their longrunning trade war that has hit the global economy.

Michelle Girard, chief US economist at NatWest Markets, told Bloomberg TV: “We’ve been pushing back on a lot of this trade optimism and it’s felt kind of lonely because markets have certainly embraced the news that we might have a short-term deal. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review thurSday, noveMBer 14, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MANULIFE METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

54.2 94.45 155.3 1.24 25.5 18.6 13.58 4.5 1.32 845 68 0.86 13.18 44.3 116.6 57.9 25.7 193 1,878 60.25 1.11

54.5 95.9 156 1.24 25.5 18.6 13.58 4.54 1.33 849.5 68 0.86 13.18 44.5 116.6 57.9 25.7 195.9 1,878 60.25 1.11

54.15 94.2 154 1.13 25.15 18.6 13.26 4.45 1.32 845 67.35 0.85 13.18 43.5 116.3 57.9 25.7 193 1,860 60 1.11

FINANCIALS 54.5 1,250 94.2 742,420 156 744,570 1.13 27,000 25.25 7,300 18.6 100 13.26 382,900 4.48 78,000 1.32 99,000 849.5 20 68 2,055,510 0.86 147,000 13.18 100 43.9 74,000 116.3 130 57.9 710 25.7 2,400 195.9 312,010 1,860 245 60 3,650 1.11 50,000

67,807.50 70,111,347.50 115,768,885 30,800 184,365 1,860 5,110,768 349,780 130,920 16,945 139,679,282 126,320 1,318 3,248,110 15,142 41,109 61,680 60,951,709 458,180 219,302 55,500

-2,707.50 -14,149,125.50 -3,752,751 2,530 1,078,594 48,841,482.50 0 -640,960 -1,850,516 -

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

37.1 2.7 13.6 0.65 1.29 3.9 0.241 2.62 15.14 7.97 18.48 29.85 65.1 72 2.09 5.5 5.03 8.8 15.1 10.54 7.25 24.35 78.35 46.7 2.18 14.22 8 1.44 213.8 45.15 5.1 8.9 18.92 12.8 17.26 342.4 0.19 5.17 1.79 4.08 5.08 9.52 11.1 32.8 5.25 5.47 1.9 1.92 0.96 11.84 91 7.87 0.136 1.08 153 2.42 1.28 1.09

37.3 2.74 14.66 0.65 1.31 3.91 0.245 2.63 15.16 8.04 18.6 31 65.1 72 2.09 5.5 5.45 8.87 15.38 10.64 7.28 24.7 78.4 46.85 2.19 14.4 8.1 1.48 217.8 45.15 5.1 9.19 19.44 13 17.32 343 0.19 5.17 1.79 4.08 5.08 9.6 11.1 32.8 5.25 5.47 1.9 1.92 1.08 11.84 91.8 7.89 0.161 1.1 153.1 2.42 1.3 1.09

36.4 2.65 13.5 0.61 1.29 3.8 0.24 2.59 15.1 7.9 18 29.85 65.1 72 2.09 5.38 5.03 8.78 15.1 10.52 7.14 24.05 78.3 45.6 2.13 14.22 8 1.44 202.6 45.15 5.1 8.79 18.92 12.72 17 335.4 0.19 5.15 1.48 4.08 4.93 9.4 11.08 32.3 5.25 5.4 1.85 1.91 0.96 11.8 90.05 7.83 0.13 1.05 150.1 2.42 1.28 1.07

INDUSTRIAL 36.7 2,141,900 2.65 2,958,000 14.66 561,400 0.62 890,000 1.31 40,000 3.82 2,144,000 0.245 120,000 2.63 1,478,000 15.1 2,269,800 7.9 280,200 18.6 16,200 31 6,200 65.1 100 72 20 2.09 43,000 5.38 20,300 5.35 34,900 8.85 771,500 15.38 10,000 10.62 341,900 7.25 1,066,200 24.7 1,040,800 78.35 383,280 46.8 53,500 2.18 12,337,000 14.4 42,800 8.1 160,100 1.45 11,000 202.6 1,497,490 45.15 300 5.1 5,000 9.19 4,100 19.12 1,284,600 12.8 18,700 17.28 333,000 335.4 178,270 0.19 220,000 5.15 8,400 1.53 27,188,000 4.08 1,000 4.93 935,000 9.59 32,300 11.08 8,800 32.45 192,500 5.25 1,000 5.4 22,300 1.9 707,000 1.91 62,000 1.05 1,281,000 11.8 833,300 91.8 266,070 7.89 57,600 0.13 161,510,000 1.1 499,000 152 717,550 2.42 1,000 1.28 2,646,000 1.07 840,000

78,662,570 7,919,280 7,881,106 555,070 52,120 8,228,950 28,880 3,864,770 34,296,714 2,220,605 296,664 192,085 6,510 1,440 89,870 109,726 176,814 6,811,902 151,300 3,618,296 7,699,202 25,381,200 30,030,965 2,470,570 26,668,430 613,898 1,293,200 15,930 312,166,026 13,545 25,500 36,377 24,534,766 239,062 5,746,396 60,576,734 41,800 43,418 43,923,830 4,080 4,632,930 306,592 97,660 6,245,385 5,250 121,266 1,312,760 118,520 1,328,170 9,840,986 24,369,072 453,225 23,729,020 544,940 108,743,734 2,420 3,411,020 899,740

-31,930,895 -742,770 2,355,472 -7,790 -472,570 1,012,728 -54,055.00 -189,100 -2,496,977 -36,292 828,604.00 -3,703,469 4,597,570 -26,959,573.00 1,121,185 533,730 1,162 487,790 -78,830,988 20,354,812 -55,010 -1,583,648 -33,229,624 -181,620 -3,295,950 -19,190 -2,199,920 37,400 -43,200 -476,384 -241,158 -81,848 160,010 -54,504,865 516,080 -

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.84 54.05 11.6 0.72 6.8 12.5 1.11 1.17 824 3.53 6.9 7.88 13.12 0.202 899.5 5.57 77.5 6.28 0.51 4.2 12.74 0.58 4.7 0.037 1.33 164 2.25 1,059 0.84 1.25 0.212 0.23

0.86 54.05 11.64 0.74 6.8 12.68 1.13 1.17 824 3.68 6.95 7.89 13.4 0.202 899.5 5.57 78 6.28 0.51 4.2 12.76 0.58 4.7 0.037 1.37 164.3 2.25 1,070 0.85 1.28 0.212 0.265

0.83 52.4 11.5 0.71 6.58 12.24 1.06 1.09 812 3.5 6.81 7.59 13.1 0.202 881.5 5.57 76.05 5.35 0.5 4.15 12.2 0.54 4.62 0.037 1.33 162 2.25 1,042 0.84 1.24 0.212 0.23

HOLDING FIRMS 0.83 4,785,000 52.8 1,339,490 11.6 17,835,500 0.74 158,000 6.58 5,000 12.5 27,500 1.08 3,232,000 1.09 302,000 818 487,890 3.65 4,320,000 6.95 1,217,800 7.68 25,368,300 13.4 82,800 0.202 50,000 890 36,320 5.57 12,000 78 590,950 5.75 24,900 0.51 4,000 4.15 96,000 12.2 2,138,100 0.58 195,000 4.62 14,588,000 0.037 2,900,000 1.37 25,000 163.4 85,050 2.25 23,000 1,070 281,150 0.85 128,000 1.28 10,000 0.212 420,000 0.24 36,410,000

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

14.84 0.81 1.67 0.92 46.2 2.01 4.84 6.35 0.61 0.73 0.87 0.201 0.455 10.22 19.82 0.455 1.63 1.25 4.89 0.285 1.44 0.38 2.02 25.8

14.88 0.81 1.72 0.93 47 2.03 4.9 6.47 0.62 0.74 0.87 0.202 0.455 10.24 20 0.47 1.63 1.26 4.89 0.285 1.44 0.38 2.05 26.45

14.84 0.79 1.65 0.9 45.9 2 4.82 6.35 0.6 0.7 0.84 0.2 0.435 10.2 19.72 0.455 1.61 1.25 4.82 0.27 1.41 0.375 2.02 25.25

PROPERTY 14.84 14,300 0.8 920,000 1.72 52,000 0.91 1,293,000 47 5,224,700 2.02 288,000 4.9 297,000 6.47 9,500 0.61 16,268,000 0.73 368,000 0.84 688,000 0.202 10,940,000 0.435 3,940,000 10.22 29,900 20 546,600 0.47 120,000 1.62 5,164,000 1.26 185,000 4.85 13,857,000 0.275 13,220,000 1.41 1,128,000 0.375 90,000 2.02 175,000 26.45 1,245,800

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

2.2 3.27 39.2 2.42 1.56 7.71 5.53

2.2 3.27 39.5 2.55 1.61 7.71 5.53

2.2 3.06 39.1 2.41 1.53 7.65 5.2

2.2 3.06 39.3 2.49 1.6 7.69 5.45

22,000 46,000 3,530,500 645,000 16,235,000 1,391,400 35,600

48,400 144,610 138,709,120 1,596,560 25,723,350 10,683,372 191,522

16,400.00 18,387,700 -1,833,837 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10.22 18.12 1.52 11.3 0.51 0.041 2.59 10.9 95.4 6.65 9 890.5 1,874 5.26 419.2 1.6 1.71 122.4 8 0.106 4.72 2.3 3.04 0.91 19.22 0.415 3.44 2.4 1.04 1.14 3.3 2.62 7.92 150 3 1,100 0.67 0.465 38.9 75.6 8.92 2.87 0.67 0.335 0.66 17.82

10.44 18.12 1.52 11.38 0.51 0.041 2.59 11.34 95.4 6.73 9 890.5 1,929 5.3 431.8 1.6 1.71 124.5 8 0.108 4.73 2.3 3.08 0.91 19.4 0.415 3.44 2.44 1.15 1.14 3.33 2.73 7.92 150 3 1,106 0.67 0.47 39.85 75.85 9.02 2.9 0.68 0.34 0.67 18.4

10.22 17.66 1.52 11.3 0.485 0.041 2.57 10.7 94.3 6.6 8.95 890.5 1,874 5.25 419.2 1.51 1.71 120.5 8 0.106 4.68 2.29 3.01 0.91 19.06 0.415 3.44 2.37 1.04 1.14 3.22 2.62 7.9 150 2.96 1,090 0.66 0.46 38.7 75.6 8.9 2.79 0.67 0.325 0.66 17.82

SERVICES 10.4 17.66 1.52 11.38 0.5 0.041 2.58 11.3 94.3 6.6 9 890.5 1,928 5.29 429.8 1.51 1.71 122 8 0.106 4.7 2.29 3.02 0.91 19.06 0.415 3.44 2.37 1.05 1.14 3.22 2.72 7.9 150 2.97 1,100 0.66 0.465 39.15 75.8 9.02 2.8 0.68 0.335 0.66 18.3

5,500 197,500 24,000 5,334,100 2,008,000 10,000,000 269,000 7,356,100 72,140 426,300 77,500 10,000 34,320 71,200 380 1,829,000 5,000 1,502,610 5,000 450,000 1,116,000 6,000 272,000 456,000 62,500 90,000 1,000 716,000 174,000 2,000 1,638,000 39,000 29,400 240 163,000 82,475 3,686,000 3,820,000 689,200 26,840 7,000 2,869,000 1,269,000 9,830,000 303,000 3,733,600

57,172 3,527,584 36,480 60,647,986 990,520 410,000 695,110 82,714,324 6,850,632.50 2,841,240 694,891 8,905,000 65,722,740 376,422 162,346 2,821,930 8,550 183,192,828 40,000 47,740 5,246,560 13,760 824,270 414,960 1,197,560 37,350 3,440 1,710,290 198,160 2,280 5,339,300 105,990 232,367 36,000 484,290 90,449,585 2,433,830 1,779,700 26,967,010 2,034,041.50 62,590 8,137,490 856,240 3,256,650 200,100 68,022,442

-16,443,874 67,620 28,502,382 -3,355,521.50 -179,363 31,927,345 -54,337,559 -155,150 148,650 -211,054 -6,570 36,000 -65,360 -23,208,715 -1,871,760 256,750 -22,196,260 -1,535,607.50 1,928,640 47,997,018

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0017 1.12 2.55 12.3 1.09 2.55 0.285 1.9 0.209 0.104 0.0091 0.0091 1.04 3.6 1.06 0.47 0.81 0.012 0.011 0.011 12.3 3.41 12.3 23.65 0.0058

0.0017 1.12 2.55 12.96 1.09 2.55 0.29 1.9 0.213 0.104 0.0091 0.0091 1.05 3.6 1.06 0.52 0.83 0.012 0.011 0.011 12.3 3.44 12.4 23.7 0.0058

0.0016 1.11 2.55 12 1.09 2.55 0.285 1.82 0.209 0.104 0.0088 0.009 1.04 3.53 1.03 0.47 0.81 0.011 0.011 0.011 11.62 3.36 12.08 23.15 0.0058

MINING & OIL 0.0017 33,000,000 1.11 407,000 2.55 6,000 12.4 9,300 1.09 15,000 2.55 200,000 0.29 580,000 1.87 4,813,000 0.209 820,000 0.104 420,000 0.009 18,000,000 0.009 9,000,000 1.05 257,000 3.56 1,555,000 1.06 14,000 0.52 180,000 0.83 71,000 0.012 46,400,000 0.011 1,400,000 0.011 1,800,000 11.8 1,271,600 3.44 472,000 12.3 309,500 23.7 1,094,000 0.0058 2,000,000

55,700 453,550 15,300 115,062 16,350 510,000 165,550 9,009,720 171,800 43,680 160,100 81,500 268,600 5,537,200 14,520 87,400 57,530 536,800 15,400 19,800 15,053,814 1,611,130 3,792,488 25,868,880 11,600

-163,520 35,040 827,470 56,590 353,736 15,858,090 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 4 SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

17.1 101.3 100.9 109 500 506 5.13 995 98 1.01 1,035 1,032 1,000 78.1 75.05 76.15 75.25 75.15 75.1

17.1 101.3 101 109 500 506 5.13 995 98 1.01 1,035 1,032 1,000 78.1 75.05 76.2 75.25 75.15 75.2

17 101.3 100.9 109 500 506 5.12 961 98 1.01 1,034 1,030 1,000 78 75.05 76.15 75.25 75 75

PREFERRED 17.06 36,700 101.3 1,380 101 107,550 109 1,200 500 1,900 506 200 5.12 74,600 980 2,480 98 70 1.01 170,000 1,034 510 1,030 1,145 1,000 920 78 15,890 75.05 27,300 76.15 3,090 75.25 13,320 75.15 101,060 75 31,240

626,956 139,794 10,856,450 130,800 950,000 101,200 382,048 2,418,640 6,860 171,700 527,500 1,179,550 920,000 1,239,433 2,048,865 235,308.50 1,002,330 7,587,188 2,345,393

-589,420 4,900 -60,600 -

LR WARRANT

1.54

1.54

1.54

WARRANTS 1.54 10,000

15,400

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

7.21 13.4 1.06

7.28 14.26 1.07

6.88 13.3 1.03

7.06 14.1 1.03

FIRST METRO ETF

119

119

118.5

MS 4,008,310 70,867,817.50 206,979,696 114,160 33,138 339,048 3,534,100 341,330 399,324,735 15,639,340 8,445,760 194,972,394 1,103,250 10,100 32,326,975 66,840 45,899,177 134,589 2,020 398,920 26,503,100 105,770 67,789,560 107,300 33,730 13,865,433 51,750 297,783,505 108,200 12,640 89,040 9,020,870

59,480 -29,514,571 -46,111,800 18,750 37,770 -60,679,435 -120,700 2,144,835 -70,876,827 -171,114 -15,890,530 -66,840 1,263,211 -58,120 1,054,044 -18,431,820 -10,686,788 24,071,675 -517,400

212,232 733,020 86,180 1,178,700 243,250,650 582,120 1,447,060 60,349 9,838,940 263,680 578,720 2,188,700 1,736,250 305,666 10,887,990 55,700 8,367,080 232,150 67,078,070 3,646,800 1,600,070 33,800 353,690 32,414,380

-72,716 800 -40,979,565 385,820 -940,010 49,200 1,859,776 -2,509,400 -24,365,720 27,500 -709,140 -9,421,630

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.1 10 0.96

10.1 10 0.96

Trading Summary FINANCIAL

SHARES 4,728,750

INDUSTRIAL

230,704,708

HOLDING FIRMS

121,756,732

PROPERTY SERVICES

99,099,914 62,557,062

MINING & OIL

127,733,272

GRAND TOTAL

655,286,128

10.1 10 0.96

SME

2,041,000 2,006,700 4,653,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.6 4,580 10.1 10 0.96

DDS

8,130 4,000 93,000

14,527,224 27,771,394 4,851,950

-1,027,466 1,138 -

543,412

-

82,113 40,000 89,280

-

VALUE 1,908.22 (up) 1.16 396,654,204.85 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,121.17 (down) 180.31 897,369,391.538 HOLDING FIRMS 7,823.42 (down) 9.33 1,451,701,769.05 PROPERTY 4,138.43 (up) 12.02 SERVICES 1,547.89 (down) 0.53 613,077,566.115 MINING & OIL 8,909.50 (down) 2.02 713,432,672.22 PSEI 7,933.71 (down) 13.76 63,715,791.9538 All Shares Index 4,757.73 (down) 6.16 4,183,646,260.13 Gainers: 78; Losers: 107; Unchanged: 55; Total: 240

First Gen raised profit to P11.5b in 1st 9 months

By Alena Mae S. Flores FIRST Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group registered a recurring net income of $217 million (P11.3 billion) in the first nine months of 2019, up 21 percent from $180 million (P9.4 billion) year-on-year.

First Gen’s net income attributable to equity holders, meanwhile, reached $220 million (P11.5 billion), up 46 percent from $151 million (P7.9 billion)on year, on higher electricity sales of clean fuel platforms, foreign exchange gains, lower interest expense and benefits from deferred income taxes.

“We are pleased to report that First Gen’s thrust of clean, low carbon and renewable power continues to result in laudable earnings for the first nine months of 2019. We fully expect to end the year with milestone earnings,” said First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno.

Consolidated revenues from the sale of electricity increased 11 percent to $1.616 billion (P84.2 billion) from $1.462 billion (P76.2 billion) in the same period last year.

First Gen generates its revenues from the operations of 3,492 megawatts of clean and renewable portfolio.

First Gen said its planned liquefied natural gas terminal was expected to further boost operations.

“As for the country’s first LNG Terminal that will unlock the natural gas industry in the Philippines, JGC Corp. of Japan has been selected as the tenderer for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the FGEN Batangas LNG Terminal Project,” said Puno.

“JGC is currently completing a study focused on modifying FGEN’s existing jetty that would allow us to receive large and small scale LNG vessels. Another major benefit to completing this work is that, given the attractiveness of LNG prices today, it will allow FGEN to bring in a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) on an interim basis to enable us to deliver LNG supply earlier,” he added.

The natural gas portfolio accounted for 63 percent of First Gen’s consolidated revenues. Natural gas revenues were 10 percent higher in the first three quarters mainly due to increased average natural gas prices coupled with improved plant dispatch.

Fruitas fixes public offering price at P1.68

By Jenniffer B. Austria FRUITAS Holdings Inc., a leading food and beverage kiosk operator, has priced its initial public offering at P1.68 per share.

The IPO price was reduced by P0.31 per share from the maximum price of P1.99 apiece set in the original prospectus.

“The company agreed to price the issue at P1.68 per share in order to ensure a healthy performance of the stock upon listing,” said BDO Capital and Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said.

Fruitas will offer 533.66 million in primary shares with an over-allotment option of up to 68.34 million in secondary shares. The offering period will run from November 18 to November 22.

“Given the attractive pricing, we look forward to more participation from the general investing public investors,” said First Metro Investment Corp. executive vice president Daniel Camacho. BDO Capital and FMIC are the joint underwriters of the offering.

The company is scheduled to list its shares under the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange on November 29 under the ticker symbol “FRUIT.” Fruitas plans to use the proceeds from the IPO to fund store network expansion and improvement, acquisitions, new concept introductions and debt repayment.

The company over the past years has aggressively expanded from over 400 stores at the end of 2016 to 949 as of June 30, 2019.

Fruitas plans to add between 550 and 650 company-owned stores from 2020 to 2022. It also plans to improve current stores and purchase delivery vehicles.

Fruitas is looking to acquire other foodservice businesses or introduce new foodservice concepts in the Philippines to accelerate expansion.

Fruitas has over 20 brands in its portfolio, including household names like Fruitas Fresh From Babot’s Farm, Buko Loco, Juice Avenue, Buko Ni Fruitas, John Lemon and Black Pearl.

B3

World

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

H’Kong protesters fire arrows at cops, choke city for 4th day

UNDER WATER. The artwork by street artist Banksy, which portrays a migrant child wearing a lifejacket and holding a neon pink flare, is pictured after an exceptional overnight ‘Alta Acqua’ high tide water level on November 13 in Venice. AFP

HONG KONG―Pro-democracy protesters challenging China’s rule of Hong Kong on Thursday choked the city for a fourth straight working day, firing arrows at police, barricading roads and disrupting transport links, as schools and businesses closed.

The territory has entered its sixth month of protests, which have morphed from mass rallies into a “blossom everywhere” campaign of debilitating disruption by groups of black-clad mainly student demonstrators.

Key arterial roads were clogged by brick and bamboo barricades, a major cross-harbour tunnel was closed while metro stations and bus services were shut down, as travel chaos gripped the city of 7.5 million people.

Schools and universities were also shuttered and hospitals deferred non-emergency operations, with the government urging employers to be flexible with workers trapped in the gridlock.

Protests began in June as a kickback against an attempt by the city’s Beijing-backed government to hustle

Climate change, corruption blamed for Venice flooding V ENICE ― Much of Venice was left under water after the highest tide in 50 years ripped through the historic Italian city, beaching gondolas, trashing hotels and sending tourists fleeing through rapidly rising waters.

The government in Rome was expected to declare a state of emergency at a cabinet meeting on Thursday after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as “a blow to the heart of our country”.

Officials blamed climate change while shopkeepers on the Grand Canal raged against those who have failed to protect the UNESCO city from the high tide.

Court: Congress can still seek Trump tax papers WASHINGTON—Congress can request nearly a decade of Donald Trump’s tax filings, an appeals court said Wednesday, striking a new blow to the US president as he attempts to keep his financial records out of Democrats’ hands.

The decision marked the second time an appeals court has denied Trump’s attempt to avoid a House subpoena that calls for him to turn over eight years of accounting documents.

Trump’s lawyer Jay Sekulow immediately announced that the president’s legal team would appeal the case to the Supreme Court, according to US media.

A majority of judges on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected a request by Trump to rehear a previous decision made by a smaller, three-judge panel last month.

In the October ruling, the judges rejected Trump’s argument 2-1 that the House Oversight Committee lacked the authority to issue a subpoena of the president’s longtime accounting firm, Mazars.

Democrats are seeking Trump’s tax returns from 2011 to 2018 as part of wide-ranging congressional investigations into the president’s business affairs after he reneged on a campaign promise to release his financial records.

The lawmakers are investigating whether Trump inflated the value of assets to obtain loans and in April subpoenaed “statements of financial condition, annual statements, periodic financial reports, and independent auditors’ reports prepared, compiled, reviewed or audited by Mazars.”

The White House, which has characterized congressional investigations into the president as “harassment,” argued that Congress did not need the information to fulfill its role as legislator.

Democratic 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden lauded the decision, tweeting that “the American people deserve to know what Donald Trump is hiding in his tax returns.” AFP

They said corruption had repeatedly delayed a barrier protection system that could have prevented the disaster.

“The city is on its knees,” Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in an interview with national broadcaster RAI. “There’s widespread devastation,” he said in the famed St Mark’s Square, which bore the brunt of the flooding. “In all likelihood the damage from last night runs into hundreds of millions of euros.”

The state of emergency for a natural disaster will allow the government to use “exceptional powers and means” to intervene more quickly, and Conte said his government was ready to allocate funds.

“The disaster that has struck Venice is a blow to the heart of our country,” Conte said at the scene. “It hurts to see the city so damaged, its artistic heritage threatened.”

St Mark’s Square was calm on Wednesday evening, with just a smat-

tering of tourists walking through the relatively dry square marked with occasional puddles.

Four Venetian friends who had gathered in the square, all wearing boots, said the relative quiet and lack of tourists was upside of an otherwise harrowing few days.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said Alvise, 19.

Earlier, tourists lugging heavy suitcases waded in thigh-high boots or barefoot through the submerged alleys, as gondola and water taxi drivers baled sewage-tainted water out of their trashed vessels.

Schools would stay closed on Thursday, authorities said.

Dirty water was swirling around the marble tombs inside the 12th-century crypt of St Mark’s Basilica, which suffered untold damage when an unprecedented high tide swept through the city.

It was closed to tourists as were many

other Venice highlights including the Fenice Theatre and the Ducal Palace.

“We said last year that the basilica had aged 20 years in a high tide. It risks having aged much more than that in this one,” said the building’s procurator Carlo Alberto Tesserin.

A 78-year old was killed by an electric shock as the waters poured into his home.

“We ask the government to help us, the costs will be high,” mayor Brugnaro tweeted. “These are the effects of climate change.”

“The future of Venice is at stake,” he warned. “We cannot live like this anymore.”

Environment Minister Sergio Costa blamed climate change and the “tropicalisation” of violent rainfall and strong winds.

“This is what is happening more and more often in the Mediterranean,” Costa said on Facebook. AFP

through an extradition bill.

The bill was eventually shelved but demonstrations have snowballed into a wider demand for democracy by protesters who fear the city’s unique freedoms are being hacked back by Beijing.

Violence has intensified this week across the financial hub, leaving several people in critical condition, stretching police resources and hammering the transport network.

The first volleys of tear gas were fired early Thursday by police near the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as a call went out for protesters to mass at the campus.

In a Facebook post police accused “rioters” of shooting “arrows at several police officers who were patrolling” near Polytechnic University early on Thursday.

Students have turned to an arsenal of new weapons -- from makeshift catapults to bow and arrows pulled from sports departments to fend off police armed with tear gas and rubber bullets. AFP

IN BRIEF Taiwan halts sales of 3 Huawei phones TAIPEI―Taiwan has suspended sales of three Huawei smartphone models that listed it as “Taiwan, China” for timezones and contacts -a designation the self-ruled, democratic island bristles at.

Starting Thursday, sales of Huawei’s P30, P30 pro and Nova 5T models will be banned until the Chinese tech giant tweaks their operating system, Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) said.

How Taiwan is described is a hugely sensitive political issue.

Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the two sides have been governed separately for the last seven decades.

“The labelling in these phones does not reflect the facts and has even hurt the dignity of our country,” the NCC said in a statement, adding that the commission had “taken strict measures to maintain national dignity”.

It also threatened to permanently ban the sales of the three phones if Huawei refuses to change the wording.

Local distributor Xunwei Technologies said it was communicating with Huawei over the issue.

Beijing has been ramping up diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen was elected in 2016 because her party refuses to recognise that the island is part of “one China”.

Pressure is building as Taiwan heads towards elections in January, with Tsai seeking to defeat an opponent who favours much warmer ties with China. AFP

Ceasefire in Gaza as violence spikes GAZA CITY―A Gaza Strip ceasefire came into effect early Thursday, an Egyptian source and a senior Islamic Jihad official told AFP, following a spike in violence and bloodshed in the Palestinian enclave.

The “ceasefire agreement comes as a result of Egypt’s efforts” and has been endorsed by “Palestinian factions including Islamic Jihad”, said the top Egyptian official. An Islamic Jihad source confirmed the agreement to AFP. According to the official, the agreement stipulates that Palestinian factions must ensure a return to calm in Gaza and “maintain peace” during demonstrations, while Israel must stop hostilities and “ensure a ceasefire” during demonstrations by Palestinians.

The agreement, which entered into force at 5:30am (0330 GMT), came after the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 34 since Tuesday after Palestinian officials said eight members of the same family had been killed.

Following the targeted killing of a top militant in Gaza, the two sides had been exchanging fire since Tuesday, and Israel’s military said it recorded more than 350 incoming rockets. AFP

NEW PRESIDENT.

Bolivia’s deputy Senate speaker, Jeanine Anez, waves as she arrives at the Congress building in La Paz on November 12 as she is set to succeed Evo Morales as interim president. Morales was en route to exile in Mexico on Tuesday, leaving behind a country in turmoil after his abrupt resignation as president. Anez pledged to call fresh elections to end the political crisis. AFP

Thai clerk charged after court shooting

Esper: US, S. Korea could scale back joint drills SEOUL―US military exercises with South Korea could be scaled back to aid diplomacy with the nuclear-armed North, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on his way to Seoul, as Pyongyang said it was running out of patience.

The North has long protested joint military drills, which it condemns as preparations for invasion, and has set Washington an end-of-year deadline to come up with a new offer in deadlocked negotiations on its weapons programmes.

The US and South Korea last year cancelled several joint drills in the wake of the Singapore summit between President Donald Trump and the North’s leader Kim Jong Un, but are due to carry out a combined air exercise next month.

“We will adjust our exercise posture either more or less depending on what diplomacy may require,” Esper told

reporters on board his plane to Seoul, where he starts an Asian tour Thursday.

The possible downsizing of the joint drills should not be seen as a “concession” to Pyongyang, he said, “but as a means to keep the door open to diplomacy”.

“I’m all for diplomacy first,” he added.

His comments came after Pyongyang reiterated its demands for the combined exercise to be scrapped.

“The US is not accepting with due consideration the year-end time limit that we set out of great patience and magnanimity,” a spokesman for the State Affairs Commission (SAC) said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

The SAC is the North’s top governing body and it is unusual for it to issue such declarations.

Holding the drills would be an “undisguised breach” of the Singapore

summit declaration, it said, adding: “Betrayal is only what we feel from the US side.”

“We no longer feel the need to exercise any more patience,” it went on, but gave no details of the “new way” it was threatening to pursue if Washington did not meet its demands.

Negotiations have been gridlocked since the Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump broke up in February with disagreement over sanctions relief and what the North would be willing to give up in return.

Working-level talks restarted in Sweden in October only to break down quickly, with the North blaming the US for not giving up its “old attitude”.

Pyongyang has carried out a series of missile tests in recent weeks and months, including one launched at sea, which it said was fired from a submarine—a potential strategic gamechanger. AFP

BANGKOK—A legal clerk who ended a bloody Thai courtroom shooting by grabbing a firearm and killing the gunman has been arrested and charged with murder, police said Thursday.

Three people—two lawyers and the gunman—were shot dead at the Chanthaburi courthouse in eastern Thailand on Tuesday during a hearing over a drawn-out land dispute.

Police say Thanakorn Theeravarodom, a young paralegal working with the lawyers, grabbed the gun from a guard and shot the assailant, a retired police major general who was one of the litigants in the case.

The clerk was charged with “intentional killing”, Khomsorn Mabumrung, commander of Chanthaburi provincial city police, told AFP. “He said it’s self-defence.”

Authorities said this week that the two sides in the case had been in court for more than 10 years arguing over a large plot of land.

Thailand has high rates of gun ownership and petty personal disputes and romantic and business rivalries are often resolved with firearms.

But a series of courthouse shootings in Thailand have exposed flaws in the legal system’s security.

More than a week ago three drug suspects —including an American—shot and stabbed their way out of a court in the seaside town of Pattaya before being tracked down.

Early last month a Thai judge in the insurgency-battered south shot himself in the chest in front of a packed court after acquitting several murder suspects and decrying the judicial system. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

‘Paspas Permit’ for biz launched in Valenzuela

By Jun David

LONG city hall queues, piles of paperwork, and extended waiting periods could soon be a thing of the past for residents, entrepreneurs, and potential investors wanting to do business in Valenzuela City.

Starting Nov. 13, an integrated permit application system called the 3S Plus Valenzuela City Online Services will provide a single platform for the application of permits and request for documents.

This is the first and the fastest of its kind in the country, which spares applicants from the cost and time required of personal applications at the city hall, the city government said in a statement.

With the City’s commitment to be in full compliance to the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Law, the highlight of the system is the “Paspas Permit”, the 10-second business permit application system. It allows the issuance of a provisionary business permits within 10 seconds after the payment confirmation.

Prior to this project, the issuance of business permits at the City Hall takes about 15 to 30 minutes.

The introduction of the ‘Paspas Permit’ system will accelerate Valenzuela’s adoption of digital technology to streamline services for more than 18,000 businesses in the city.

According to Mayor Rex Gatchalian, the new platform “demonstrates the local government’s commitment to make services more efficient and innovative, which in turn can attract more investors and spur further development.”

“Entrepreneurs are indispensable to our country’s growth and so we are empowering them through improved systems of service delivery,” Gatchalian said.

Pinay engineer shares progress of Malampaya ENGINEERING graduates who want to pursue a career in the energy industry and make a difference can take inspiration from the success of the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project, which has employed many Filipino engineers who’ve helped fuel the country’s progress.

Speaking during a plenary session in this year’s National Chemical Engineering Week celebrations at the Philippine Trade Training Center, Filipina engineer Michelle Malonzo shared this inspiring thought, being one of the prime movers of the Malampaya project that’s responsible for powering around 30 percent of the country.

Malonzo, who currently serves as Production Services Lead for Shell Philippines Exploration (SPEX) B.V. particularly for the Malampaya project, has been with Shell for 10 years now.

She believes that the Malampaya project is something all Filipinos can be proud of―thanks to the close collaboration of both the public and private sectors in bringing something meaningful to the lives of the Filipinos.

“We are working on low-carbon energy. And natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel that we have today,” Malonzo revealed. “Natural gas is clean and indigenous to the Philippines. It has considerably less greenhouse emission compared to other fuels like coal and oil.”

BLUE UNITY. Thousands of adults and children gather at the Quezon City Memorial Circle to hold a synchronized opening of umbrellas that form a blue circle in celebration of World Diabetes Day, with a theme ‘Act as One’ to prevent and control the disease. The synchronized opening of umbrellas will vie to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Manny Palmero

Sta. Rosa bags SGLG for 3rd straight year

By Roy Tomandao

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HE City of Santa Rosa in Laguna has been conferred with the Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the third straight year.

Santa Rosa is one of the 57 cities in the country to receive the award from the DILG. Receiving the award on November 5 at The Manila Hotel were Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas, her predecessor and current Laguna 1st District Rep. Danilo Ramon Fernandez, and City Director Melody Barairo.

“This is the third consecutive year that the city received the award, and I am really very proud since the Seal recognizes remarkable performance of a local government unit, which

means that we are doing it right in the City of Santa Rosa,” said Arcillas in an interview.

The SGLG symbolizes integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development.

The seven local governance areas under which local government units were assessed include the following: Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business-friendliness and Competitiveness; Environ-

mental Management; and Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

A total of 380 LGUs were awarded with Seal―17 provinces, 57 cities, and 306 municipalities.

Prior to this, the city also received the Seal of Good Local Governance: Good Financial Housekeeping in 2015; the Seal of Good Housekeeping Silver Grade in 2014; and the Seal of Good Housekeeping Bronze Level in 2011.

Arcillas expressed her thanks to the city government offices and national offices that helped the city secure the award for the third consecutive year.

“Like in the recent years, we also accept the challenge that comes with this award and that is to do better to get a higher ranking so we can give a more enhanced public service to our people,” the mayor said.

HOLIDAY MERRYLAND. The doors of Holiday Merryland at SM City Sta. Mesa are now open with a fun-filled launch on Nov. 9, made extra merry by special guests, Kelley Day as host, Alwyn and Jenica Uytingco with their lovely little ones (inset), and rising star Krystal Brimner. Also bringing gladness and cheer were the San Sebastian Chamber Singers and Party with Jive Theatre Group. Also present at the inauguration was Quezon City District IV Councilor Hero Bautista, as he played a part in opening the Instagram-worthy spectacle to the shopping public.

45 former rebels in Pampanga gain livelihood aid

By Romeo Dizon

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—A financial assistance package worth P360,000 and jobs were given to 45 rebel returnees who surrendered to the government Wednesday.

Police Brig. Gen. Trodel Sermonia, newly designated regional director of the Police Regional Office 3 in Central

Luzon, said the rebel returnees received an initial P15,000 each from Gov. Dennis Pineda after they were presented to him during a simple ceremony here.

Pineda urged the former rebels to take advantage of the health and education program of the provincial government, which includes their family members.

“The rebel returnees belong to the

‘white areas’ who do not carry own firearms but are involved only in legal front groups, which aim to tarnish the government’s reputation,” Sermonia said.

Myrvi Apostol-Fabian, Provincial Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Central Luzon, said the ex-rebels would receive another P15,000 and P50,000 as livelihood assistance soon.

ERRATUM

WATER PROGRAM. Senator Cynthia A. Villar (right) delivers a speech during the 1st National Scientific Conference on Water at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture for the Integrated Water Resource Management Harmonizing Research Technology and Policy Toward Water Security for All at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna last Nov. 8. Roy Tomandao

In our story headlined “Davao to host Malaysia-PH biz gab Nov. 20” published in this section on Nov. 14, this paragraph—“The Malaysia-Philippines Business Forum on Nov. 20 is the highlight of the trade mission. It will be graced by Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato Raszlan Abdul Rashid and Arturo M. Milan, president of the Davao Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.”— should not have included the names of Messrs. Rashid and Milan.

Manila Standard regrets the error.

Fe Tria-Fernandez

Palawan maven Tria-Fernandez passes away, 90 FE TRIA-FERNANDEZ, one of Palawan’s leading cultural figures, passed away on Nov. 12 at the age of 90. She was a musician, an educator, a historian, an anthropologist, and a blueblooded Palaweña.

As a composer and musician, her works include several Palaweño compositions, notably Cuyo Balitaw, Puerto Princesa Mabuhay, Palawan State University Hymn, and Martsa Cuyo.

Her groundbreaking research on Ploning, a Cuyono folk song, was brought to national attention through Judy Ann Santos’ 2008 film by the same name. These songs then formed part of Palawan’s cultural portfolio.

A true daughter of Cuyo, Palawan, Tria-Fernandez was a staunch advocate for the preservation of Palaweño indigenous culture and the Cuyono language, as well as the conservation of the Province’s flora and fauna, having published several books about these topics.

She tirelessly served the former Department of Education, Culture and Sports in several capacities throughout her whole career in government, and used it as an avenue to immerse herself deeply into Palawan’s cultural milieu, for which she carried as her life’s goal to document and promote.

Born on Sept. 20, 1929, she is a shining example of a life lived in full. Despite being twice orphaned at a young age and having survived a brutal war, she lived her life in perseverance, humility and love, rising above adversity by dedicating her life to her passion for music and in genuine service to her beloved province. Her body of work stands as a timeless testament to such selflessness and dedication, where her legacy lives on forever.

She follows her late husband, Jose Torres Fernandez, Jr. into the afterlife, having spent their lives in close tandem and partnership throughout their many academic and professional activities and works.

She is succeeded by seven successful children and several grandchildren, along with numerous adopted children and grandchildren.

Her remains lie at St. Peter Chapels in Baltan St., Puerto Princesa City.

Interment will be on Nov. 17 after the 1 p.m. Mass at Sta. Monica Parish.

Karl Fernandez Legazpi

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

YOUNG LIFE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

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Breaking the stigma of mental health

By Angelica Villanueva

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LET'S TALK. Medical experts encourage those who suffer from mental health disorders to talk about it, share their stories with professionals, loved ones, or anyone they trust.

hat’s not depression, you’re just sad.” “Depression? It’s just for the rich.” “Go out so you’ll stop being sad.”

These, among other statements, are the reasons many who suffer from depression and other mental health problems are afraid to talk about their condition. Statements like these also show how misinformed and uneducated many of us are when it comes to this problem.

According to a 2017 study, 970 million people around the world suffer from a mental or substance use disorder, accounting for around 5 percent of global disease burden.

In the Philippines, 3.3 million people suffer from depression, and another 3.1 million suffer from anxiety disorders. In 2012, there were a total of 2,558 suicide cases recorded.

For its #BreakTheStigma campaign, pharmaceutical company Upjohn organized an intimate event hosted by Dr. Gia Sison, together with Dr. Robert Buenaventura, Janna Pulido,

and Riyan Portuguez, in a bid to address the misconceptions on mental health “There is still stigma when it comes to seeking help for mental health disorders in the Philippines,” says Dr. Buenaventura, board secretary and life fellow of the Philippine Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Buenaventura added that mental illnesses should be always discussed to raise more awareness.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sison shared her insights and perspective, particularly the pros and cons of technologies with regard to mental health.

“I do think technology has a lot to do with the improvement of a lot of people’s perception about mental health issues. The Internet provides such a wealth of information at the click of a finger. But this is dangerous too,

New Work Tribe: Professionals on the go THIS generation’s young professionals are all about work-life balance, which is basically having the option to telecommute or work on flexible schedules, thereby allowing them to pursue other endeavors outside the office.

“For example, alternative work arrangements deviate from traditional 8 to 5 office hours through flexible scheduling, which allows employees to start late and end late, or part-time

arrangements to help workers avoid traffic or handle outside responsibilities before or after work. Another trend is telecommuting,” said the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Here in the country, mobile electronics company Samsung calls them the New Work Tribe—young go-getters who can excel professionally while enjoying their other passions.

Helping this tribe is Samsung Galaxy Note 10+.

Catriona Gray fulfills duties and passion

As the reigning Miss Universe, Catriona Gray performs her duties while pursuing her love of singing, painting, and engaging with kids.

“I’m so fulfilled because my role as Miss Universe is an extension of what I, as Catriona pursued before entering into the world of pageantry,” shares Gray.

She continues, “I’ve always been passionate about education knowing how it can instill a sense of self-confidence and potentially change the lives of our youth for the better. I feel fortunate that I get to have fun, pursue my passion, and give back to the community I love the most.”

Gray’s partner in fulfilling her roles and staying connected with the world is Samsung’s new Galaxy Note10+. “I can also share what I’m doing with my followers and through sharing my journey, hopefully, encourage them to take part in getting involved in their community.”

Vania Romoff creates art with technology

One of the country’s most in-demand couturiers with several designs in the pipeline, Vania Romoff takes advantage of the smartphone’s intuitive S Pen, which lets her construct masterpieces even on the go.

“I get inspired by random things during the day. I like how I can sketch on my Galaxy Note10+, whether I’m at home or when traveling,” says Romoff. “With my smartphone, I don’t need to carry a bulky sketchpad to design a dress when inspiration strikes.”

Erwan Heussaff accomplishes tasks with ease

Productivity features in devices are a plus for young entrepreneurs such as content creator and soon-to-be dad Erwan Heussaff.

He shares he depends on his Galaxy Note 10+ for his many meetings. “I don’t need to bring a laptop when I’m using my Galaxy Note10+.” It also helps that Samsung DeX transforms the gadget to a laptop.

“The S Pen lets me write on my smartphone’s screen, and it automatically converts it to digital text. I take notes during meetings and when I’m planning content for my YouTube channel, which I can then easily share with my team or my other devices.”

Hideo Muraoka gets the job done

Model and fitness enthusiast Hideo Muraoka compares his yoga and martial arts practice to the device’s long battery life.

“Just like how yoga gives me enough energy to last the day, the battery capacity of the Galaxy Note10+ lets me do all my tasks,” he shares.

According to Muraoka, “I can hone my photography, teach yoga, and go on shoots on just a single charge.”

because even online, there are so many false statements that need to be unpacked first to get to the facts,” she says.

Recognizing their role in the exacerbation of stigma of mental health, social networking platforms have been doing its best to help and prevent suicide among netizens.

Twitter, for instance, allows users who see tweets containing possible threats of suicide to report it to them by filling up a form. The site will then directly contact the reported user and notify them that “someone who cares about them identified that they might be at risk.”

It will then provide “the reported user with available online and hotline resources, and encourage them to seek help.”

Experts also shared some of the ways to help those who suffer from this problem stress, such as going out with friends, going to the gym, and attending church If you or someone you know needs assistance, help is available. Contact the National Center for Mental Health crisis hotline at 0917-899 8727 (USAP) and 7989-8727 (USAP).

Angkas CEO one of Asia’s young trailblazers ANGELINE THAM, founder and chief executive of on-demand motorcycle taxi service Angkas, has been recognized as one of the 400 best and brightest leaders in Asia for “coming up with a solution to Manila’s traffic jams.”

Tham joins Asia Tatler’s Generation T 2019 list, which recognizes some of Asia’s innovators in the realm of various industries including entertainment, food and beverage, retail, sports, and technology, among others.

According to Asia Tatler, “Angeline found a way around Manila’s constant heavy traffic with on-demand motorcycle taxi service: Angkas. The app has already been downloaded more than 2 million times and is one of the top transportation modes of choice for people living in cities across the Philippines.”

Asia Tatler also cited Angkas’ 99.99plus percent safety record.

“Before Angkas, people were relying on habal-habal to cut travel time in half, which really has no certainty of safety while the drivers are unidenti-

fied,” shares Tham who left Grab after its motorcyle-hailing service folded in the Philippines.

She continues, “Angkas was our answer to motorcyclists’ reputation of being reckless drivers. And now, that notion is slowly diminishing.”

Tham is working towards offering free training for 18 million bikers nationwide.

The app also boasts efficiency in giving motorcyclists a decent means of livelihood. With the heavy demand of Angkas among commuters, some of the company’s biker-partners make a living three times the above minimum wage, or about P1,500 per day.

The Singapore-born entrepreneur believes that because of this “Angkas has no longer become a consumercentric service. This is a platform that wants to empower every single person involved.”

“Whenever we receive an award or get invited to speak, it just further proves Angkas’ integrity as a public service. As much as we are humbled with these, the challenges always await,” states Tham.

Angkas is currently on a six-month pilot run until the end of this year. The Department of Transportation said data from the pilot implementation will be used in drafting the bill on legalizing motorcycle taxis.

Angkas founder and chief executive Angeline Tham is one of Asia's best and brightest trailblazers in 2019.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 nickie.standard@gmail.com

SNAPSHOT

More than a thousand auditioned to be cast in ‘Malvar’ movie CAMARINES Sur Vice Gov. Imelda Papin (left) and lawyer Jose Malvar Villegas, Jr.(right), Malvar’s line producer and executive producer, respectively, pose for a souvenir picture after their conference with JMV Production staff on the casting procedure for several roles in the movie. The conference, which was held at the MOWEL Fund Building in Quezon City, was attended by more than one thousand applicants, as seen in the photo.

The movie, the true-to-life story of National Hero Gen. Miguel Malvar as Supreme Commander of Filipino Forces during the 1899-1902 Phil-Am War is produced by JMV Film Production (JMV).

Villegas, who is a grandson of Gen. Malvar, said that the descendants of the Visayan Heroes led by Ma. Cristita Diaz Chiong, granddaughter of Visayan Revolutionary Hero Gen. Julio Diaz, also attended the movie casting.

‘YOUR MOMENT’

captures viewers nationwide YOUR Moment, ABS-CBN’s two-in-one talent reality competition, recorded high ratings and wowed viewers nationwide with its electrifying local and foreign acts during its premiere.

The show’s world premiere garnered a national TV rating of 28.9 percent versus The Clash’s 16.4 percent last Saturday (Nov. 9), according to data from Kantar Media. Audiences continued to watch Your Moment on Sunday (Nov. 10), which recorded a national TV rating of 26.3 percent compared to The Clash’s 17.4 percent.

The first two episodes welcomed viewers into the state-of-the-art revolving set that offers the studio audience views of both the dancing and singing stages, as well as the emotion meter used by judges Billy Crawford, Nadine Lustre, and Boy Abunda to input their scores for each performance.

Winning dancing acts Ruthless Comrades of Taytay, Rizal and Kenyo

Street Fam of Bulacan, meanwhile, showed how camaraderie and teamwork made their acts and performances more cohesive. Also capturing viewers’ attention and emotion were the winning singing acts Lez 2 Men, the lesbian trio from Cainta, Rizal, and Indonesian duo The Dens Gonjalez shaking up the stage with their rock and roll.

Meanwhile, Your Moment’s highly esteemed hosts, judges, and production value were also the talk of the town the whole weekend as positive comments continued to pour online during its world premiere. In fact, the show already trended on Twitter on the morning of its world premiere.

Apart from watching TV, fans also tuned in to Your Moment’s online show which featured hosts Sharlene San Pedro, AC Bonifacio, Matty Juniosa of Idol Philippines, and Dawn Chang, who joined the show live via Skype from Australia.

‘The Clash’ Top 12 finalists

It’s a battle of voices in

‘THE CLASH’

F THE finals were today, the public wouldn’t mind if any contender in the Top 12 of GMA Network’s reality singing tilt, The Clash, was declared winner.

It’s like you can randomly pick one of the finalists and call him or her the ultimate winner and no body would contest the results.

I

‘Your Moment’ hosts Luis Manzano (left) and Vhong Navarro

Will JakBie realize which love is real in Wagas?

WILL the long wait be over for Yummy (Barbie Forteza) and Eugene (Jak Roberto) that they will finally find their way to each other’s hearts or will Sandie (Ashley Ortega) and Cedrick (Kristoffer Martin) keep the two away from their happy ending?

Viewers are excited to find out the answers to these questions as Wagas: Wait Lang…Is this LOVE? airs its finale today.

Sandie is fuming after discovering that Cedrick has already developed true feelings for Yummy.

To get her revenge, Sandie reveals everything—from the original plan to have Yummy fall for Cedrick so that they can sabotage Walang Kapares to the fact that everything was orchestrated by Rex (Rey PJ Abellana).

Yummy and her aunts, Tita Gloria (Yayo Aguila) and Tita Sonya (Tina Paner), cannot believe that they played

right into the hands of Rex. What’s worse is that Tita Gloria and Tita Sonya even had misunderstandings before because of Rex. It seems Walang Kapares is facing more problems. One customer complains that a cockroach is supposedly in the bowl of pares that has been served.

The bad news does not end here. Walang Kapares catches fire and Yummy’s life is put in danger.

Will Yummy get to turn their lives around or will another misfortune befall her?

With all these devastating news, Eugene is quick to be right by Yummy’s side. Will he finally get his chance to win Yummy’s heart and will Yummy realize what real love is?

Don’t miss the thrilling ending of Wagas: Wait Lang…Is this Love? before Eat Bulaga on GMA-7.

After a series of dramatic eliminations and surprising twists, The Clash has finally introduced its Top 12 Finalists to the members of the entertainment press early this week.

During the event, where program hosts Julie Ann San Jose and Rayver Cruz, rendered a duet of the “Best Part,” each finalist performed a two-minute song number to impress the scribes.

“Walang tapon,” a member of the audience commented after hearing the last finalist to perform.

Based on what we have seen and heard during the event, GMA Network has chosen a dynamic crop of young and talented singers who are ready to be recording stars. They are: Al Fritz (Cavite); Aljon Gutierrez (Oriental Mindoro); Antonette Tismo (Parañaque); Clark Serration (Cebu); Janina Gonzales (Parañaque); Jeniffer Maravilla (Malabon); Jeremiah Tiangco (Cavite); Lorraine Galvez (La Union); Nef Medina (Cavite); Sassa Dagdag (Pampanga); Thea

Astley (Qatar); and Tombi Romulo (Cavite).

The finalists have been battling it out for weeks, but The Clash Panel—composed of Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha, Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, and Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai delas Alas—are looking forward to fiercer musical face-offs as the competition progresses.

“It’s actually very exciting because now that the competition is becoming more intense, even viewers are having a hard time choosing among the Clashers. All of them are very determined to win and they have what it takes, we can see that. So we’re looking forward to seeing a lot more from them,” shared Lani.

“We’ve got a good set of Top 12 Finalists. All of them are very talented and we’ve seen them give outstanding performances, but at the end of the day, this is a competition and they have to show us more to make it all the way to the end,” said Christian.

For AiAi, this is the beginning of their ‘real’ fight, “Exciting lalo ang show dahil eto na ‘yung totoong laban. Habang kumokonti sila, dapat mas ibigay pa nila ‘yungbest nila. Tsaka marami pa silang twists na aabangan, pati viewers natin, kaya ‘wag silang bibitaw sa The Clash.”

The Clash also has Rita Daniela and Ken Chan as journey hosts.

Under the helm of Director Louie Ignacio, follow the journey of each Clasher every Saturday after Daddy’s Gurl and every Sunday after Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko on GMA-7.

Kapuso viewers from across the globe can also catch their favorite Kapuso shows via GMA’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

‘The Clash’ Masters Julie Ann San Jose and Rayver Cruz

Katy Perry plans record-breaking show at women’s T20 final Jak Roberto and Barbie Forteza in a scene from ‘Wagas.’

AMERICAN popstar Katy Perry announced Wednesday she will be performing at the final of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup in Melbourne next March before an expected record crowd on International Women’s Day. “Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!” Perry said in an Instagram post using the Australian sporting chant.

“Let’s break some records - join me in Melbourne on March 8, 2020 for the ICC @T20WorldCup Women’s Final. We’ll

Roar in support of these awesome women on International Women’s Day!” The International Cricket Council said Perry would perform both before and after the final in “what is anticipated to be the biggest women’s cricket match of all time.”

It said it was an opportunity to set a new world attendance record at a women’s sporting fixture.

The current record crowd of 90,185 was set at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Pasadena, California. AFP

American singersongwriter Katy Perry

Motoring

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

‘Coming home and giving back’

“W

E ARE always happy to come home, but what makes me even happier is to give back to the school and the parish where we shared the most exciting years of our lives,” declared H.A.R.I. Foundation (HFI) President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo at the kickoff of the fourth Alagang Breastfriend medical mission held last October 26 in observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on the grounds of St. Anthony School in Singalong, Manila.

Agudo and UP-PGH Cancer Institute Chairman Dr. Jorge Ignacio, the leads of the Alagang Breastfriend program, are proud graduates of St. Anthony School.

Alagang Breastfriend (#AlagangBFF) is HFI and UP-PGH’s flagship wellness program which aims to have women in under-served communities take charge of their health by providing them access to important resources and technology that will improve their overall well-being and enable them to lead healthier, more productive lives.

Addressing the women patients from the nearby Singalong communities, Dr. Ignacio paid special tribute to mothers: “Ang nanay, mahirap palitan sa buhay ng anak. Napakalaking bagay na nandito kayo. Nandito kayo para pangalagaan ang inyong kalusugan, para sa inyong mga anak. Kayo ang pinaka-importante sa araw na ito, kaya kami bumalik (sa St. Anthony School). Maraming salamat sa pribilehiyong pagsilbihan kayo.”

Breastfriends, community leaders from Barangays 724 and 744 (Singalong) with St. Anthony School principal Azucena Inalisan (2nd from R) welcome the Alagang Breastfriend medical mission led by HFI President Maria Fe Perez-Agudo (2nd from L) and UP-PGH Cancer Institute Chairman Dr. Jorge Ignacio (center).

The Alagang Breastfriend Mobile Diagnostic Clinic, the first of its kind in the country, is a customized Hyundai H-350 luxury van equipped with state-of-the-

art mammography and breast ultrasound facilities and manned by the UP-PGH medical missions to impart relevant information about breast cancer and offer free screening to women in underprivileged communities.

Since its launch, #AlagangBFF has touched the lives of close to 200 women of various ages and backgrounds in and outside of Metro Manila and. Last June, the maiden mission was held at the UPPGH grounds. This was followed by the Ternate, Cavite mission in July and the Barangay Gulod, Novaliches, Quezon City mission in August.

Thus far, a total of four women were diagnosed “positive” for breast cancer and are now under the care of UP PGH Cancer Institute.

St. Anthony School and parish makes for the fourth mission, serving the populous communities of Barangay 744 and Barangay 724.

Most of the women screened were firsttimers in receiving comprehensive breast cancer in-formation and screening module.

According to the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, breast cancer is a primary cause of death among Filipinas. One out of 13 Filipinas could develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Moreover, Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society states that the Philippines has the greatest number of reported breast cancer cases among 197 countries.

How traffic causes engine damage TRAFFIC is a harsh reality of city driving. During these extended durations, your car is at its most vulnerable state, as frequent idling and stop-start driving stresses the engine, eventually leading to long-term damage.

The traffic situation is not expected to ease anytime soon, with the Land Transportation Office revealing that 11.6 million motor vehicles were registered in 2018, 11.4 percent more than the 10.5 million registered the previous year. As early as 2015, the Philippines has been ranked by Waze’s Global Satisfaction Survey among the top 5 countries with the worst traffic in the world.

Worsening traffic conditions not only make for a more challenging drive; it also creates a difficult environment for the engine, raising the risk of microscopic wear. According to a global average which examined traffic in 50 cities, the average driver these days can stop and start as many as 18,000* times in a year, while spending up to 33%* of urban driving time idling. Combine this with intervals of constant acceleration and deceleration, the engine will at some point suffer from irreversible engine damage.

To help motorists combat such extreme engine wear and tear, Castrol has launched the latest generation Castrol MAG-

NATEC with breakthrough DUALOCK Technology that provides non-stop engine protection for a variety of car engines such as 10W-40 grade for gasoline engines; 10W-50 for diesel engines; and fully synthetic oil 5W-30, for both gasoline and diesel engines.

This pioneering formulation is the result of ten years of research and development to create a lubricant specifically engineered for today’s urban driving environment and designed to protect engines against the wear caused by stop-and-start driving.

Castrol MAGNATEC’s new DUALOCK molecules lock together to form a powerful forcefield of protection on vital engine components, resulting in a 50%* reduction in wear and tear from engine warm-up and stop-start driving, even for vehicles running on the latest stop-start technology.

“We formulated Castrol MAGNATEC with the everyday driver in mind. We’ve devoted ourselves at Castrol to help address the detrimental effects traffic congestion has on vehicles,” said Maria Tañada, Castrol Philippines Country Manager.

“Through Castrol MAGNATEC’s breakthrough DUALOCK Technology, we are fulfilling our consumer’s need for nonstop protection that goes over and beyond regular car oils.”

Prominent alumni of St. Anthony School Manila ( UP-PGH Cancer Institute Chairman Dr. Jorge Ignacio and HFI President Ma. Fe PerezAgudo, with School Principal Azucena Inalisan, bring a gift of wellness to their alma mater.

The fourth Alagang Breastfriend medical mission perked up the day with free haircut services care of Margaret and Charles Salon and a Pink Zumba session care of HARI Foundation.

“Our school and our parish have many challenges to overcome,” said St. Anthony School principal Azucena Inalisan, “but we are blessed by the help of alumni

like Ms. Agudo and Dr. Ignacio, who give their hearts to this institution.” Ms. Inalisan also cited the St. Anthony School Alumni Association for regularly hosting medical missions like Alagang Breastfriend.

“We have come home to give a gift of wellness to our school and to the communities around it,” affirmed Ms. Agudo.

“I hope more and more of our classmates discover ways of supporting our beloved school and parish.”

Apart from the free breast cancer screening and lay forum, #AlagangBFF livened up the day for its participants with a Pink Zumba session and free hair cut services care of Margaret and Charles Salon.

TRANSPORTING HAPPINESS

Hino concept vehicle debuts in Tokyo Show HINO Motors Ltd., the exclusive distributor of Hino trucks and buses in the Philippines, showcased various transport solutions demonstrating its vision of a sustainable future in its exhibition themed “Transporting Every Happiness” during the 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019.

The FlatFormer, an innovative electric truck platform that can fit any body style or frame depending on the requirements, was the highlight of Hino’s exhibit during the 11-day international trade event, which happened at Tokyo Big Sight in Japan.

The 6x6 modular truck platform can be used for different requirements, including passengers, accommodation, catering, and transport and logistics for

convenience stores, medical clinics, recycle management services and beauty salons. It is powered by Li-ion batteries and feature a 170kW motor output.

Through the FlatFormer, Hino aims to change the concept of mobility by moving not only people but services as well. With its versatility and optimal utilization of space, FlatFormer will make transporting of people and goods more efficient.

“The Hino FlatFormer was designed in line with our vision of a prosperous and sustainable society for Filipinos. With the super versatility of the FlatFormer, companies can address a broad range of

customer needs with a single vehicle platform. The FlatFormer is indeed the future of mobility,” shares Hino Motors Philippines President, Mr. Mitsuharu Tabata.

Aside from the FlatFormer, Hino showcased the Profia Hybrid and Dakar Rally champion. The first is a truck equipped with the world’s first AI technology that predicts driving load and performs optimal hybrid control while the Dakar Rally is a 7-ton Hino 500 series race truck.

FlatFormer, Hino’s ultra-versatile truck platform, is set to change the future of mobility

TMP Tech graduates do PH proud FOUR graduates of Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology(TMP Tech) were recently hired as automotive service professionals by Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co. W. L. L. in Qatar. This is under the school’s training-to-employment program called TMP Tech–AAB Quick Service Training (QST) Program in partnership with AAB, one of Toyota’s official distributors in the Middle East. Interested

graduates of TMP Tech’s 2-year Toyota General Job Automotive Servicing course may apply in the QST Program, which will require them to undergo four additional months of training to develop expertise in express vehicle maintenance and services. They must also complete a non-the-job exposure at local Toyota dealerships and undergo proper pre-employment process before starting a career at AAB’s au-

tomotive service centers. With over a thousand graduates in its six-year operations, TMP Tech continues to be a world-class technical-vocational school offering employment opportunities to its graduates in both the local and global Toyota Network. In photo are the four QST graduates (center) together with their foremen, who are fellow Filipinos gainfully employed abroad by AAB.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019

Motoring

Celebrities, social media personalities, motoring journalists and racing fans whoop it up after the opening ceremonies.

Vios racing festival: Action packed final leg

T

OYOTA Motor Philippines concluded the 2019 Vios Racing Festival season with a heart-pumping race weekend. Held last November 9 at the Clark International Speedway, the final races saw over 70 Circuit Championship and Autocross Challenge drivers making the most out of their turn on the track with heightened waku-doki spirit powered by the ever-reliable Toyota Vios.

Series front-runners expectedly delivered podium finishes but new champs also appeared in the winners’ list, including celebrity racer Gerald Anderson who secured wins for the first time since the season started.

“I had to finish the last leg of the Vios Racing Festival with a bang!” said celebrity racer Gerald Anderson in an Instagram post he wrote after the race. “I was tired of losing and not giving a good race for my fans/supporters who travelled from Manila to Clark every race to support me. You guys were my motivation. I couldn’t accept not standing on the podium before the Vios Racing Festival ended.”

“I learned that we all have to be like a Toyota Vios in our lives. Reliable – be someone your family can always rely on; Quality – always giving your best at everything; Safety – protecting yourself & family; Relentless – never stopping ‘til you reach your Goals/ Dreams. Let’s all be a Toyota Vios,” Anderson added.

At the end of the November 9 race day, TMP recognized the racers who won the final rounds of the Vios Circuit Championship and the fourth round of

the Vios Autocross Challenge.

“Toyota appreciates your heartfelt support over the course of the Vios Racing Festival. Together, we all contribute to the growth of motorsports in the Philippines, and we’ll continue to do so for more years to come,” said TMP President Satoru Suzuki during the race’s opening ceremonies attended by the race participants and spectators.

The overall winners of the 2019 Vios Racing Festival season will be announced by TMP in an awards night happening this month.

TMP has been organizing Vios motorsport events in the country for six years now. For this season, TMP added the Autocross Challenge to the event, transforming the annual Vios Cup into a more inclusive and accessible Vios Racing Festival by opening racing slots to more car club members, motoring journalists, social media personalities and even regular drivers or Toyota fans who joined TMP’s social media contests.

The 2019 Vios Racing Festival is supported by TMP’s partners and sponsors Bridgestone, Petron, Motul, Rota, Brembo, Denso, AVT, 3M, OMP, and Tuason Racing.

Torfaera, Iceland’s off-road mania AFTER more than half a century, revving engines in the tough off-road sport known locally as “torfaera” still draw crowds who love the noise and daring drivers.

It’s late summer and Akrafjall mountain, which looms over the small town of Akranes, has been turned into a temporary race track.

Instead of asphalt, rocky terrain dotted with tufts of grass serves as proving grounds for the drivers of 19 purposebuilt 4x4 vehicles.

Known internationally as “Formula Offroad,” a more direct translation of the Icelandic torfaera is “difficult driving” or “difficult road”.

Ahead of the fourth of five rounds of the Icelandic championship, the vehicles, which look like a cross between a jeep and a dune buggy, are being prepared for the challenge.

At the wheel of “Bomban” (The bomb), 30-year-old Olafur Ingjaldsson is a bag of nerves before his first race.

“But it happens so fast that you forget everything. They say you can go and 1020 seconds later it’s over,” he tells AFP, in a effort to reassure himself at the same time.

The drivers are only protected by a helmet, a safety harness and the vehicle’s reinforced roof.

Racing up and down steep hills, the drivers try to pass through gates and earn points.

Stopping or touching one of the gates results in points being deducted.

Some drivers make the tracks, which include seemingly vertical hill climbs, look effortless, while others get stuck in the dirt or tip over, leaving their cars looking like a turtle on its back.

National success The suspense draws several thousand spectators.

Crowds are filled with families and tickets cost around 2,500 Icelandic kronur (around $20 or 18 euros).

“The enjoyment is the excitement, hearing the noise and seeing people sort of trying the impossible,” said Tryggvi Thordarson, president of the Icelandic Motorsport Association, which governs torfaera.

Starting in the early 1960s, the sport was born when fans of 4x4s working for Icelandic rescue services began to show what their vehicles were capable of in the hilly terrain.

Known internationally as Formula Offroad a more direct translation of the Icelandic torfaera is difficult driving difficult road

The goal was originally to raise funds for their operations, and competitions were held between different rescue teams that went head-to-head in off-road races.

The first official championship was held in 1965 in the Mosfellsdal Valley, near the capital Reykjavik.

Formula Offroad has since spread outside Iceland, particularly to other Nordic states, but it has also made its way to the US. Expensive cars One of the cars lining up for the Akrafjall race is dubbed Hekla, and it packed around 1,000 horsepower under the hood.

Drivers must be careful with that kind of power however, it isn’t just for speed.

The tracks “are not that long and they are difficult, you have to turn … so speed is not an option,” mechanic Arnar Bjarkarsson tells AFP. “The main thing is about power,” Bjarkarsson explains, noting that all those horses had to be tamed.

Successful drivers can be tight-lipped about how to achieve that.

Seaoil partners with AAP

“The more you train, the better you get,” Thor Palsson, winner of 2018 and 2019 championships, replied when queried by AFP. Drivers, who are almost all amateurs, are often more concerned with just finishing than getting a record time.

“I have to be really progressive and thinking what I’m going to do and try to choose the best way to drive. And maybe it’s working or maybe not,” says Haukur Einarsson, a driver who also plays bass in a rock band.

Meanwhile, trying to limit breakage isn’t only aimed at keeping drivers safe, but also to protect their wallets, as cars cost between five and 15 million kronur (around $40,000 to $120,000).

In the early 2000s, international TV channels like Eurosport and the BBC were interested in torfaera, which drew sponsors as well.

But with the 2008 financial crisis, sponsors became scarce, forcing drivers and their teams to rely more and more on themselves. AFP AUTOMOBILE Association of the Philippines Members will soon enjoy exclusive rewards through SEAOIL VIP Club cards. SEAOIL Philippines has officially joined the National Auto Club’s growing list of partner establishments. The agreement was signedat the AAP Tower by (from left) AAP Business Development Manager Kristine Leonardo, Chief Operating Officer Mark Desales, SEAOIL Philippines Vice President for Corporate & Consumer Marketing Jose Jaime dela Fuente, and Business Development Supervisor Jen Lemuel Co.